Hot Dates, Back Stabbers and Fancy Tuna
by AddienaTheBlueSpirit
Summary: The day had been hectic, and the three of us just wanted to find a place to study in peace. Things had just gone downhill after we got inside. I won't go into all the details, just ask Ash. OC/OC/Kaoru, OC/Mori. Exchange students at Ouran. Pleez Read!
1. Chapter 1: Memories of Japan Beginnings

_Chapter One: _

_MEMORIES OF JAPANESE BEGINNINGS_

_By Addiena Rox and Red Heads with Chocolate_

**~Sitting in my rocking chair with the sweet smell of summer drifting through the air, I can't help but remember the way my room caught the same sweetness from the cherry blossom trees outside my window. As I close my eyes, my memories surface to grace the pages of my mind as fresh and vivid as when they had first happened. We were all young then; very young. We had gotten off the plane after our first trip: to Japan. We were there to visit the country, and meet our soon-to-be friends, relatives, rivals, love interests and possible husbands. ~**

The air was crisp, my clothes were wrinkled, our legs were collectively cramped (as well as sore), and Ash's grin was highly contagious. Ashley was so excited about all of us being in Japan together. Her pink highlights stuck out like bright Flamingo feathers against her dirty blonde hair.

Poor Flash was getting yanked all over the place as we walked down the stairs to the runway. He looked painfully bored to me, kind of like he didn't want to be there at all. Which when you think about it, was highly understandable.

The land of neon colors and wild parties didn't fit with Flash's dark muscle shirts, deep shaded baggy jeans, and black army boots in the least. The gold chain I gave him last year for his 16th birthday glinted off his tanned neck, which was the only really bright color he could stand to wear. His hazel eyes weren't fully adjusted like they should have.

Ashley, on the other hand, was Flash's complete polar opposite: She was the party girl, ready to do whatever she thought was good whenever she wanted to do it. She was in a constant state of flux, as her highlights would attest to. See, Ashley's highlights changed all the time depending on what season it was, how she was feeling, and what looked good in the magazines.

Sometimes she could be a little scatter-brained, and a lot of times over reacted horribly, but that's what made her so cool to hang out with. When the 3 of us hang out together, she always has something for us to do. If it has anything to do with fun, she's on it.

Ashley always does things for a reason. No matter how small or weird it is, it was done with some sort of purpose in mind. That brings me to her current style. See, most Japanese girls did neon stuff to their hair. Ashley figured she would fit in better if she did something similar to her own. That was the reason for the insane Flamingo feathers… or, at least part of the reason. The other reason was because pink, red, and white were Flash's favorite colors (you know, besides black and blue).

Ash is surprisingly perceptive for being so much of a party girl all the time. She's known for years that there was something going on that we weren't telling her. She thought we were going out, but I could tell she wasn't sure.

Ash always asked about us, mostly confronting me about how close the two of us seemed. I kept telling her there was nothing more between us, which is true enough. But I doubt Ashley believed me. See, only I knew the truth about Jody.

Me, I'm not the most outstanding type of person. The whole reason I even decided to come to Japan was to change my image. I'm kind of plain, but in a highly tom-boyish sort of way. What can I say? I dress for comfort, not looks.

Therefore, a lot of girls were shocked into a rude reality when they hit on the dark skinned moody guy who slouches like any other interesting bad boy and found little old me underneath it all; you know, the classic navy blue baggy jeans, white Air Jordan's, loose fitting black shirt, backwards Lakers baseball cap, and all the messy dark brown hair any guy would be proud to call his own.

After those poor girls recovered, they went and spread rumors about me. I figured I should change my look before anything worse happened. I asked Flash what I should change my look to, but he thought I should stay the way I was because I looked great. Ash said to go girly, or at least girly-guy. Got to say, I was leaning in favor of Flash's idea. But I got a bad feeling about trying it, and I've learned to trust my instincts.

See, I have a hereditary habit of almost always thinking something through without thinking about it at all. I also have the nasty habit of almost always being right. And for some strange reason, 16 year olds running around Japan just screamed trouble when Ash told me about it. I remember when I first started calling her 'Ash'… wait, I'll tell that story later…maybe… or you could just ask Ash.

(Ash's POV)

Typically my hair never stayed the same color long; typically it traded off with the color of Jody's choice that month. I had been researching Japan's who's who for months… and I was _sure_ that Jody and Danni were worried about practical things like food or housing…

That was what made them my best friends: Jody had a classical rocker look with a totally sweet personality, while Danni was more 'the girl next door' with a massively tomboyish side. The three of us shrieked 'American'… and that was _before_ people heard our accents.

As my pink and red hair fluttered in the wind, I rethought my shoe choice, but one look at Danni's flats and Jody's combat boots and I realized my Mary-Jane stilettos had little effect on my sore legs, however leggings would have helped avoid the rug-burn on the backs of my thighs from the seat, but what can I say, fashion matters.

My replica Louis Vuitton suitcase in tow, we got into the limo Ouran Academy sent to pick us up at the airport.

Let me give you personal info on all three of us:

Ashley McArthur (me!)-5'8", dishwater blonde with ever changing stripes of colors (currently they are pink and red). My style: plaid mini shirts, stiletto Mary-Jane's and white blouses… my gender: female.

Jody Callahan is 6'0", fair skinned and tall with hazel eyes, prefers dark colors which contrast with his clearly Californian appearance. Sometimes he would change his style to muscle shirts with combat boots. He's a really nice guy, when you get to know him.

Danni Jones is 5'5" and is dark as chocolate. Her eyes are dark and mysterious with a light that shines out that no one can ever really understand. Some used to associate her gaze as the gaze of the Devil. She's more into disappearing without a trace so she adapts her style to whatever she wants to blend into. She's a cool chick when you get to know her, too.

(Danni's POV)

Together we stood in front of the school. We were on the street, mind you, because we couldn't exactly look at the whole front if we were inside the grounds. Yeah, that's how big the front was.

As if of one stupidly idiotic mind, our mouths dropped one at a time as we each spied a piece of student eye candy walk by. We all knew we had to go inside, but we just couldn't break away from the sights that held us captive. Maybe that's the way middle schoolers' felt when they stood in front of their new high schools for the first time.

"So, are we going in or not?" Flash asked us in a hushed whisper. Even though we weren't precisely sure why he was whispering, we nodded.

"We all have the same classes, and at least one of us knows how to get to them all?" Again, we nodded.

"Everybody speaks fluent Japanese?" He caught us a little off guard with that one, since he had asked us in Japanese.

"What do you think, Flashy?" I asked sarcastically.

"Do you think we can speak Japanese fluently?" Ash mirrored my sarcasm almost flawlessly. And we had both asked him in Japanese. He shrugged like he didn't really care, even though we could see the pride in his eyes.

Ash did start giggling uncontrollably. I swear on my life, it was like a chain reaction: She started, which made me start, which triggered poor Flash into giggling. Fairly shrieking in Japanese, we said, "Your accents! Your accents!" laughing wildly, we pointed at each other until tears fell from our eyes.

Wiping my tears on my sleeve, I finally got a good look at our uniforms. "Uh, maybe we should go and make sure these things fit us right. Otherwise we'll just be embarrassing ourselves in front of all these damn rich people."

Flash looked at me like I was a goddess. See, when the school had sent our uniforms, Ash's uniform and mine were a little tight but we looked alright. Flash's was a little big in a place that he was not, if you catch my drift.

'Absolutely pure madness,' those were the only words that I was thinking as we made our way inside the grounds. I will admit, we did get some strange looks from the lavishly expensive (saying regular would have been offensive) students. It was if they knew why we were there, but it still bothered them. Whatever, we weren't there to care. Or at least I wasn't.

(Ash's POV)

After Jody went down our check list, we shrieked "Your accents! Your accents!" As we laughed our asses off.

Despite what Danni will tell you, the looks we got walking through the halls were, well…They hurt.

A lot.

Anyway… After Danni got lost and eventually found us again, she told us about this great place she'd found…to study.

I wasn't thrilled by the "studying" part of that. But if it was deserted I could sit back and breathe without fear that someone was giving me one of those judging looks.

(Danni's POV)

The day had been hectic, and the three of us just wanted to find a place to study in peace. Things had just gone downhill after we got inside. I won't go into all the details, just ask Ash. If she's not too embarrassed, she'll probably tell you… maybe…

Anyway, I had sort of gone off on a strange expedition, alone, and got a little lost. It freaked out Flash, although Ash assured him I'd be OK. Even though she was right, it still stung that she wasn't slightly concerned when I didn't show up for THREE CLASS PERIODS. I figured out how to get back in one piece by fourth period.

As I led them back through the halls, I told them about a room I found while I was turned around earlier that day. It was an abandoned music room on the second floor. I knew it was abandoned because no one had gone in the whole time I was over there, and I was over there a long while.

"Here we are: Music room three. Told you it was empty! Now can we go in and study, please?" I glared at Ash over my shoulder as I opened the door. Rose petals swarmed and spiraled in a dazzling display of blood red and deep pink hues.

(Ash's POV)

The door flew open and rose petals flew into our faces; and before us stood the 7 Gods of Ouran. (If Ouran ever became a religion, I'd gladly convert…) Much to my dismay, half of them had shirts on…

"Welcome to the Ouran Host Club…" chorused around the room. I found myself staring right at a pair of red headed twins (more of a nutmeg, where my hair was fuchsia) and they were whispering amongst themselves…but they were closer to Danni, so she probably heard what they said better.

"Any of these guys show up in your research?" Jody asked in English.

"Yes," I replied. "As a matter of fact, 6 out of 7 of them."

"Damn," he said in English, and I laughed.

(Danni's POV)

"Welcome, to the Ouran Host Club!" Seven boys spoke simultaneously and in absolutely perfect unison.

"Whoa- what the- a Host Club…!" my voice caused the boys to change from soft sideways glancing to intense head-on scrutiny.

"One of them doesn't look very hetero, does he, Kaoru?"

"Mum, that's right, Hikaru; not very hetero at all," The two who spoke looked exactly the same. I knew from experience rather than conscious effort that I was trying to separate their voices and tell them apart while I also deduced that these two were trouble with red hair and gold eyes.

It was at this time that we actually got a good look at them all. They all were hot by nature, but they were dressed as male models. Some wore shirts (to Ash's disappointment) but the rest were shirtless (to Flash's dismay).

"Can you speak Japanese?" A raven haired youth with an exceptionally slender waist asked. His English was flawless, almost as if he had lived in America before we even met him. The guy could stand work on disguising his emotions a little more. Yeah, I caught the obvious sarcasm in his voice.

Smiling, I answered him in Japanese. I'm not proud of what I said, so I won't tell you what I said… if you want to know, just ask Ash.

His face went blank as he absorbed my harsh words. Putting on a smile, he said, "So, where are you going to be staying while you're here in Japan? I'm sure we, as the members of the Host Club, would love to-" the boy was cut off by a blonde god with purple-aqua eyes. Seriously, he just slid in front of him like he was on skates or something.

"Welcome to the Ouran Host Club! I'm Tamaki, the King of the Host Club! It's a pleasure to meet you, my dears. And young sir, as it would seem," at this, Tamaki winked a sparkling eye at Flash.

Ask Ash if you want to know his reaction, she was staring at him like he was ALL that and a bag a chips. Which, he was. I wasn't really paying attention to those two; I was way more busy looking at the other members of the Host Club. Tamaki followed my gaze as it went around the room. I guess he figured it would be better to introduce everyone before I started asking.

"Though it may sound strange, we'll also tell you our particular contribution to the Club. For instance, I am of the Princely type. Since you guys are supposed to be new recruits and all, you need to know what's here so you can figure out what you can contribute.

"Allow me to introduce my fellow Hosts! This," he said, sliding behind the extremely rude dark haired boy, "is my good friend, Kyoya. His family own most of Japans outward shows of charity, you know." I noticed he wore wire-rimmed glasses that made him look pretty good.

'Probably for show,' I thought. I also noticed the way those same glasses had glinted when Tamaki had winked at Flash. 'Interesting,' I smiled slyly at the idea that formed in my mind.

Catching my grin, Kyoya frowned. "I'm of the Cool type, which you'll learn to understand. I guarantee that…" Kyoya looked a little spooky right at that moment.

"These are my fashion experts, Hikaru," one redhead raised his hand above his head. "And this is his brother Kaoru. They're twins, but you can probably tell that already, right?" the other redheaded twin leaned close and smiled evilly at Flash. Ash grabbed the younger one and started gabbing about something or other.

"We happen to be of the Devil type. A lot of girls like the bad boys, and we play off a few other talents of ours. You'll learn about those soon enough," that was the voice of the older twin, I could tell because his voice was deeper than the other ones'.

'Gotcha,' I thought with a smile. 'Now I can tell you two apart!'

"This is our resident Martial Arts expert, Haninozuka. Everyone just calls him Honey," a cute little blonde boy who couldn't possibly be a high school kid jumped forward and smiled sweetly.

"That's a cute bunny, what's his name?" I asked with sincere interest.

"This is my bunny Usa-chan! He stays with me all the time," man, he sounds just like a little kid! "I'm one of the many Boy-Lolita types, as you can probably tell!" Whoa, they weren't kidding about that.

"That one behind you is Morinozuka, but we call him Mori for short. He's a master of the sword, and is Honeys' cousin. He's-"

"I'm of The Strong, Silent type. Don't be fooled, Honeys' almost 18," I turned to see the most handsome of them all. I liked the way his dark hair stayed short but still swayed in the breeze. (I'd seen him around campus, and thought about him nonstop ever since, if you were wondering.)

Tilting my head, I smiled and said quietly, "You're also one of those silent disappearing types, aren't you?" I watched with a satisfaction at his widening eyes.

"How did you…" he turned and looked at something, but when he turned back I was gone. Whipping around, he saw me leaning on the couch. Tamaki practically had a fit; he was the only one who had seen me move. I think I looked more like a blur than anything else to him.

"I'm just like you Mori. Just like you and not like you at all. I've just had a little less practice then you have," I smiled sweetly. Inside I was laughing at the faces of my friends. See, I also have the uncanny ability to move in and out of places without anyone really noticing. I can even get into locked rooms and other places. I guess you can say I'm… complicated.

"Hey, where's Haruhi?" Tamaki said worriedly.

"I'm down here, you guys," the voice was rather soft, and belonged to a boy of medium height with dark mousy brown hair. He was currently lying in the floor with his hands propped like he was watching TV.

"HARUHI! What are you doing on the floor? It's dirty down there!" he looked like a worried father… or a concerned boyfriend. Kyoya's glasses glinted dangerously.

Standing up, Haruhi glared at the twins. "Hi, I'm Haruhi! Guess I'd be considered the natural type. Sorry I didn't speak up sooner, but those two knocked me over trying to get to your friend over there," I got a strange feeling from this guy, like he wasn't really a guy at all.

'Got to talk to Flash later,' I noted to myself. I noticed Mori watching me with an intensity that almost mirrored my own when I memorized him earlier that day outside.

"So, now that you know who we are, who are you three?" Kyoya was poised, ready to write in his notebook whatever we said. It was black, and reminded me of stories of the names of the dead being written in a book of darkness.

'Creepy,' I thought as I turned to the King of the Host Club.

Bowing low, I stated, "I am Danielle Jones, though many call me Danni. I'm the Flux type, I suppose."

"Flux?" Hikaru asked skeptically.

"Yeah, I'm always changing something about myself. I'm hardly ever the same person every time you see me. I'm always in flux," my friends looked at me with complete understanding.

"Alright, Danni. Next we have…?" Tamaki looked at Ash.

"Oh, me? I'm Ashley McArthur, but you can call me Ash. I'm the Party type?" she shrugged as she spoke. I noticed Kaoru hadn't taken his eyes off her since she pulled him off to the side earlier.

"I'm Flash Callahan, and I guess I'd be considered the Sensitive type. My real name is Jody Callahan, but Danni changed it," Flash stood uncomfortably between the twins. They were looking him up and down. I knew that look, so I knew I'd probably have to bust heads after a few minutes.

"Now that we all know each other, where are you three going to stay? You can room with any of us… you know I'd love to have you…" he whispered that last part suggestively into Ash's ear. She almost turned into a puddle right then and there.

I watched Kyoya stiffen and turn around. Tamaki saw it, too. He straightened up and went to talk to Kyoya. I'm not sure what was said, because I got some sort of signal interference from Flash. I looked into his frightened eyes, and knew the time had come to assert my dominance over the pack.

Before anyone knew what was happening, I was pushing Hikaru into one of the supporting pillars. My nails were long and sharp by habit, so they were making known by hovering a few inches in front of Hikaru's face.

"Don't ever threaten my friends, no matter how strange they may act. Or you'll have to go through ME. Got that?" I glared at him from behind my dark hair. It had fallen from its bun when I had moved. It now hung loosely over my face, giving it a dark shadow that mocked the evil lurking inside of him.

He glared back at me; his eyes glittered like diamonds. Or like cats' eyes, since they were golden like one. Sensing a challenge, I bared my teeth and snickered. Tension levels in that room went up almost six fold in about ten seconds. I felt his muscles tingle while I dug my nails deeper into his shirt.

Faster than the eye could follow, I jumped away and snarled. There was a small cut on my cheek where Hikaru had sliced me doing a swift uppercut. He hissed loudly, and jumped after me. Somehow, I managed to avoid every single one of his attacks. I was avoiding contact, since I was in a dress. He used his pants as an advantage over me, but I was still way faster than he could ever hope to be.

Strangely, there was a banana peel right where I had to jump. I landed square on it… and I went down faster than a fat woman on a greased fire pole.

"Ha! Now you'll pay!" Hikaru thought he had me, but boy was he wrong. I whipped and caught him as he fell on top of me. Twisting and fighting, we ended up in a little used corner of the room. Behind all things, we ended up behind an elephant statue that hadn't been there when we came in.

"Wait a minute; I thought this was supposed to be a Music room!" my words were a little strangled, as I had Hikaru's full weight on me. "Get off me, you oversized ox!" I snapped. Leaning back, he looked me in the eyes. I saw a burning anger behind his, which made his eyes look like glowing pots of gold.

"I'm trying! Your dress is really slippery, ya know!" as if to prove his point, my dress betrayed me and let him slip. It was at that moment that everyone crowded around to help us up.

In short, this is what they saw: Me on my back propped up on my elbows, with Hikaru leaning over me from between my legs, crushing and rolling up my dress underneath his weight. (Thank God I've got great legs!) But that would have been alright, if we hadn't been kissing.

I swear to the heavens that it was a one in a million chance that right as he slipped and I leaned forwards to get up that our lips would connect! We looked right into each other's eyes, and he looked so red (embarrassed) it wasn't even funny.

We were in so much shock and embarrassment that neither of us could move. When he pulled away, I felt the heat waves coming from him. I knew he could feel mine.

Even though things were a little awkward at first, everyone accepted us into the Host Club. Everyone, that is, except Hikaru. I don't think he ever really forgave me for that experience. I think he still has wet dreams about that incident.

**~ Normally, I'd tell you to ask Ash. But I don't think she'd tell you anything different then what I just told you. You can still ask her, though. I think she'll laugh at the memory.**

**Seriously, I think she will! ~**


	2. Chapter 2: Talentshows and Livng Spaces

_**CHAPTER 2:**_

_**TALENT SHOWS AND LIVING SPACES**_

_**(Addiena and Red Heads With Chocolate: We Own Nothing. Sadly enough…)**_

(Ash's POV)

Anyways, back to the club full of mind blowing, drop-dead glorious, unbelievably hot Japanese boys…

Kyoya Otori walked with me from our shared limo into Ouran High School. He kept glancing at me, which made me a little nervous. "Will you quit that?" I asked.

"Quit what?" He replied, annoyingly pushing his glasses up his perfect nose.

"Look, I don't know what about me is pissing you off. In all honesty, I don't care. I'm just a as stuck with you as you are with me."

"In all actuality, I was thinking of whether or not you and your friends would be willing to do something for me…" He said as we got into our limo.

"Depends," I replied. I was starting to think coming to Japan was turning into a huge mistake.

"I've been discussing this with Tamaki for a while now. In our preparation for your arrival, we were aware that two of the exchange students would be female. We were considering that (given you met our standards) we would initiate you and your classmates into the Host Club as our first female members. Well, not today obviously, but you and Danni and of course, we still want Jody to join… By the way, why do you hit on him? I mean, he's obviously…"

"Please don't finish that Question, Kyo…by the way; does your father know you have a thing for Tamaki?" I shot back.

"I'm not gay, and even if I was I would _not_ be interested in Tamaki Suoh."

"If you say so…" I said. In the 10 days I had known Kyoya, I'd analyzed him to a 'T'. Kyoya Otori had a daddy complex from Hell; also an irrational fear of being thought gay. After all, while the Host Club's profits would prosper, he would most likely be disowned by his father.

(Danni's POV)

We had to wait a week before it was official and the initiation was a pain. I won't tell you what we had to do. All I'll say is that the twins were in charge. You want the juicy details, you should just ask Ash.

Seeing as me and Ash were the 'first' female Hosts, we were given special privileges that the others didn't have. For one thing, our feminine ways made us the ideal information gatherers.

After all, I knew almost everything that happened that possibly could, would, or should surround the Club. Whatever got past me certainly didn't get past Takashi. He was a special friend of mine, and he was just as skilled in information gathering as I was. Needless to say, nothing got past the two of us.

I got a lot of great tips and pointers from the other Host members. Haruhi was the greatest help of all since she really _was_ the first female Host member. Yeah, Haruhi was a chick. It was easy to figure out. But it was still a little weird when I confronted her and she admitted it. It really didn't help that she was changing and couldn't have denied it if she wanted to. Seriously, I saw the evidence with my own dark eyes! Unless she was a tranny, there was no other explanation for it. At least, that's what Jody said. Yeah, he was with me when I caught her.

Renge was fighting Ash for Haruhi's affections, but I just didn't have the heart to tell them they were fighting over a girl. Plus, Haruhi asked me and Jody not to. Nothing against Ash, or anything, just certain things should remain unsaid.

Since boys were now allowed into the Club, I was put to work as the main information hound. For some reason, I was the best at getting what I needed out of the lovesick puppies that requested me. I often told the others what I learned.

One such bit of information I worked out of a foolish boy was that a talent show was going to be held. It was child's play to get all the details. I got more from the other guys. They told me that everyone was allowed to either participate or observe, and Ash wanted to participate when I told her and Jody about it.

On a lighter note, everyone figured out where they were going to stay. Well, sort of, anyways. Ash was staying with Kyoya unless something better came along or until something bad happened. Personally, I think she just wanted to understand how any human teenaged guy could be so hard to read. Jody was chilling at his cousins' crib until more permanent plans were made.

I was _supposed_ to stay with the twins, but that just didn't fly. Those boys were crazy, and I was better off on my own anyways. The thing was that I didn't like staying in one place for any long length of time. I'm sort of a wanderer, if you catch my drift. I don't like to really be tied down for long. Nothing can hold me.

So I decided to just drift through like I did with everything else. I'd keep my stuff with me and just crash wherever I was for the night, or two. Seeing as I liked the way Takashi was looking at me, I'd probably be at his place most of the time.

The thing I didn't like was that Kyoya wouldn't tell Tamaki how he felt about him. I mean, it was so OBVIOUS from the get-go that the dude was in love. Why do guys have to be so annoying when it comes to expressing their feelings?

Anyways, I promised Ash and Jody I'd get the two of them together when I figured out what I was going to do for the next year. Jody had laughed at me.

I say screw him.

(Ash's POV)

_(NOTE: THE FOLLOW WAS THE BEST MOMENT OF HARUHI'S HOSTING DAYS!)_

"Ma-a-a-a-ma," Tamaki sang out. I always got a bad feeling whenever he did that.

"What is it now, Daddy?" Kyoya asked with a lusty voice Tamaki didn't notice, but Danni and I did. We exchanged glances that pretty much said _'Tamaki is so stupid'_.

"Mama, I want to host a masquerade ball! With everything: costumes, masks, flowers, a cute outfit for Haruhi…"

"I won't wear it!" Haruhi chimed from a corner while I tried to no avail at suppressing a laugh.

"Sorry, but we don't have room in the budget for a party right now," Kyoya was artfully hiding his flushed appearance (after he saw Danni and I snickering) from the Host Club's King behind his glasses and black "Demon's Book" notebook.

"But Haruhi would look…"

"No." said Kyoya and Haruhi the same time.

"But I want…"

"No." Kyoya looked at me with a _'see what I'm dealing with here?'_ look. Tamaki started to pout dramatically.

"Wow," I said in a stage whisper to Danni and Haruhi. "Looks like 'Mommy' wear the pants in _this_ relationship," as I air-quoted the word 'Mommy' I heard the entire Host club burst into laughter, even Danni and Mori showed their amusement in their own bazaar way. I suddenly caught sight of Tamaki, and joined the others in their hysterics… because … wait for it…: He was in his "Emo corner" sprouting mushrooms.

(Danni's POV)

"Wow," Ash said in a stage whisper to me and Haruhi. "Looks like 'Mommy' wears the pants in _this_ relationship,"

I looked at Takashi with a smile and a wink. He returned the look with a chuckle I barely heard. I caught a total _'OMG! Are they dating?'_ look from Jody to Ash.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Club was frozen in time. Honey had been eating cake at a table a few feet away, but after what Ash said, the forkful of carrot cake didn't make it to his open mouth. Haruhi was trying not to snicker, although it was a sad attempt, at best. The twins were hanging off Ash's neck laughing their heads off. They were totally crying rivers!

Kyoya stood unfazed, save one cocked eyebrow. Only I saw the faintest hint of a smile tweaking the corner of his mouth. I was most amused by Tamaki: He was sprouting mushrooms in what Takashi and I liked to call his "sulking corner".

"Anyway, wouldn't that be pointless," Ash asked matter-of-factly. "There's a masquerade the night of the annual talent show."

"A masquerade…?" Tamaki perked up.

"Talent…" Kaoru started, standing up.

"…Show?" Hikaru finished as he leaned heavily on his twin's shoulders.

"Why didn't you tell us this sooner?" The boys shouted.

"I thought you knew!" Ash shrieked back. "You guys go here every year! I'm just the exchange student! After all it is the ANNUAL Talent show and Masquerade! As in it happens _**EVERY**_** GOD DAMNED YEAR**!"

"Now, that's just sad," I muttered as I shook my head at my fellow Club members. I took note at the shock of Ash's tone that went across Kyoya's face before going back to his usually guarded expression.

"Tell me about it," Takashi replied. I giggled as he started smiling. He offered me his arm and I took it. I sensed everyone behind us staring as we walked away arm in arm.

"What's with them?" I heard Jody ask.

"You know, I don't know. But they are a lot happier then when you first got here." There _is_ a reason we call him the King Baka you know…

"How astute, Tamaki." I heard Ash say with a note of sarcasm that only Jody and I would have been able to notice.

"Wait, you don't think that they…" Hikaru began… I didn't hear the rest. We walked down the hallway, leaving them all behind for the rest of the day.

(Ash's POV)

Okay. So I'm sure Danni will tell you I stayed with Kyoya with a hope of something better coming along. She'll probably also tell you I thought Jody was straight AND that I thought Haruhi was a guy… Puh-leez, people; I'm spacey, not clueless (honestly, I just really liked to mess with Renge…seriously; it was too fun to pass up).

In reality, I decided to stay at the Otori Mansion because I wanted to work some McArthur magic on Kyoya. There was some obvious crushing on his part and it was my duty as an outsider to do what I could to help.

The best way for me to do that, of course, was to be on the inside. You know…doing a little digging prior to formulating my master plan. Of course, I would most likely discussing the matter with Danni and Jody before the said was put into action.

Sitting beside Kyoya during our limo drive home, I turned to him. "When we get to your house, I'm changing my clothes," It was all I could do to avoid throwing up on my hideous yellow dress.

"If you insist," I wondered for a moment if Kyoya hated me. Then thought of what Kaoru had told me early on.

"_Don't mind Kyoya, even when he's being a complete jerk. Most of the time, he's unhappy. I think it has to do with the fact he doesn't know how to express his true feelings for anything." _

"You don't have to be such an ass about it, you know." I told him, wondering, momentarily, if he would even care.

"Oh, you have my apologies, McArthur-san, if I came across wrong."

"Quit call me that; my name is ASHLEY," I told him. "Use it… And like please with the formalities, you're in high school for God's sake! Quit talking like a businessman, you're 17!"

"As you wish," Honestly? This guy needed nothing more than a miracle worker to whip him into shape, let alone to help him learn how to express emotion… something much needed when confessing your love for someone, even when they already feel the same way.

"May I ask you something?"

"No, Jody's not gay. Sorry," I replied automatically.

"I wasn't going to ask that,"

"Ah… sorry, it's just that was the first thing the twins asked so I assumed…"

"It's quite alright," He replied. "I was going to ask why you seem so lovesick over him,"

"It's… complicated…" I said. The limo pulled up a long driveway to the Otori residence.

"That's not an answer," He said as we got out of the limo.

'I know' I thought inwardly before replying out loud, "What does it matter?"

"I was just curious…" He replied.  
"Would it offend you if I said I don't feel I know you well enough to answer that yet?"

"Not at all," He probably picked up that I wasn't planning on giving an answer even if he'd said yes.

Don't go thinking I'm some sort of Romantic now because I've been following a gay guy around waiting for him to ask me out. God, when you put it that way I sound so desperate! But I swear if you knew Jody… if you knew _Flash_… it wouldn't seem so bazaar.

As I changed from the vomit yellow Ouran uniform into skinny jeans and a baggy T-shirt, I thought about how I first fell for Jody Flash Callahan. But first, I suppose, I should tell how I met Danni. Because, really, she's the one who introduced us.

_~It had been in 4__th__ grade (a long jump from here, but still vivid in my mind). At the time, I wasn't quite the way I am now: I had been in shorts and a T-shirt, my blond hair cropped to my shoulders. At the time, I had been no one, unpopular, and rather average really. I don't know if you knew this, but there were times when I was the only one who knew Danni was a girl. That was before Jody came into our lives._

_You see, by 4__th__ grade, Danni and I were the world's most extreme case of fraternal twins. Different skin, eyes, hair, parents… you see, despite the fact that we were so different (so not meant to hang out with each other) Danni and I were best friends._

_Something had come between us in those years, though. Between 4__th__ grade and her meeting Jody, we'd stopped being friends. In all honesty I blame myself. I suppose now that we're friends again, it shouldn't matter to me whose fault it was… but it does. It had been a typical day. Danni being Danni, me being me. I'm not sure quite what happened, myself; but I remember having agreed to go somewhere with a 7__th__ grade boy who liked younger girls (like 4__th__ graders) because he said he knew how to make me popular._

_I don't remember seeing Danni show up. But even then, I was used to her mysterious ways. "Leave her alone!" That's what I remember a 4__th__ grade Danielle saying to the 7__th__ grader. Somehow, I doubt she'd remember._

_The fact that Danni had shown up in the first place had scared the guy so badly that he blacked out. "Are you OK?" She asked because I was crying. "Ashley? Did you get hurt?"_

"_You… You… You are such a big MEANIE!" I remember screaming at her. "I was finally going to be popular, and you went and ruined it! Why can't you let me be happy, Danielle? Why? Are you that bitter? Do you hate me that much?"_

_I hadn't realized yet what she'd just saved me from. But I don't think she'd cared. She must have felt that I had betrayed her. I saw that 7__th__ grader again a few years later. He was a senior and his face was all over the news when he got arrested. I had too much pride and forgotten memories to make amends when that happened._

_As I got older, people still thought Danni was a guy. Girls continued to need extensive therapy after asking out the 'Emo Dude'. I think we both forgot why we hated each other so much. Or, at least I did. It never registered that we'd hated each other before a certain time. I thought we'd always hated each other._

_By the time 9__th__ grade rolled around, Jody and Danni had become joined at the hip. That's when I started to miss my old friend. I remembered what had happened that day when we drifted apart from each other. I guess seeing her replace me with someone else without a second thought jogged my memory._

_Seriously; almost the next day after we stopped being friends, Jody came out of no where and started following her around everywhere. At first I was jealous of him. But then I just wanted my best friend back… with or without Jody. That's when I planned my All Night Midnight Extravaganza! It had been an excuse to regain her friendship._

_After a week of convincing everyone it was well worth it, I had the entire popular populace desert the party. That left only and a handful behind. They seemed in a rush to leave, and I realized they hated the party. That pissed me off; but worse was that it was a mass desertion. I didn't know who all left and who all stayed. Then I saw her sitting by the bonfire remains._

_Sighing in frustration, I sat beside Danni and her friend Jody. "Hey," I said softly. Danni said something nice and mean at the same time. I flinched at her words and cold attitude, but I tried again. "I hope you're having fun,"_

_Danni remained distant, but her friend was actually thrilled to be at my bombshell of a party. "Thanks for inviting us!"_

"_Sure! I mean… ya know, it's no trouble,"_

"_Yeah, we're having a great time. I'm not sure why so many people left, though." Then he smiled at me. Good Lord, his smile was stunningly gorgeous._

_That's when I realized; looking at him over Danni's hunched shoulders (she was leaning on her knees looking into the dying flames) that this boy was not only extremely cute, he was also extremely gay. 'Maybe,' I thought to myself, 'I can persuade him to change sides…'_

_Meanwhile, I was babbling like a brook, and I tried to steer the conversation into what most guys would think pleasurable waters._

"_So, uh, I bet your girlfriend wishes you'd left, too. Am I right?"_

"_No, no girlfriend. I'm waiting for the right girl. You understand, right?"_

_Oh, yeah! Hot single guy at my party! But he shot me down with such skill and grace… I almost thought he was complementing me._

"_Well, maybe you'll find the right girl… here… ya know?"_

"_I don't think so, but thanks for understanding," In all honesty, I hadn't noticed Danni leaning over her knees until she sat up with such energy I almost fell off the log we were sitting on._

"_Yeah, figures…" I muttered, looking into the fire. The embers danced in front of me, stirred up by the sea breeze. I could see I flash of hurt in his hazel eyes (God, they were beautiful!) and I could tell I needed to clarify. I'd really, royally screwed up here… big time. "Oh, don't feel bad," I told him. He looked slightly distracted, but I continued without noticing._

_When Danni looked at me, I saw a mirrored confusion shinning out of her eyes like Jody. "Why do you think you're not good enough?"_

"_Simple, Jody. Not everyone's as nice as you and Danni. Some people tell you flat out that you'll never be good enough for anyone… that's why I said you shouldn't feel bad. I'm actually used to worse."_

"_No one should feel that they're worthless, Ashley." Jody said softly. I continued to look into the glowing ash from the bonfire, refusing to listen._

"_He's right, Ash." I looked up at Danni. She was looking into the embers, too, but I could tell she was really looking back through the years to the person she remembered long ago as being her best friend. She was looking into my soul._

"_No one should feel like they are worthless. Especially not you; you aren't 'worthless'. You're my first best friend, and you kept me steady when no one else would. You put up with my strange habits when an ordinary person would have called it quits. As far as I'm concerned, I'm the one who was worthless." She turned and looked at me, the smile she used to smile just for me on her face._

"_You, Ash, are the most important person second to none. You showed me that a girl like me could really have friends while being completely insane in the process. And for that, I am truly grateful. So, thank you. And, I'm sorry it took so long for me to say it,"_

_After that, we three were pretty much inseparable. Of course, I spent a lot of that time trying to drag information out of Danni. Mainly, it was either an admission of them dating or if he ever talked about me. But after awhile, the fact that Jody was gay and could not be turned settled into my mind to live. But even so, I still fell in love with him. Damn his sweet attitude and smoking body…~_

Suddenly, there was a knocking on my door. My room pulled me back into the present, though for a minute I couldn't remember where I was. "Come in," I stated, pulling my multicolored hair into a thick ponytail.

"McAr-" I shot him a death glare. Danni had showed me how to make the perfect death glare on the plane. She said it was in case I met someone at a party who wouldn't leave me alone. "I mean, Ashley-Chan; I was thinking that since you just arrived in Japan you might like to see Tokyo or Kyoto."

"Wow, really? You'd take me sightseeing?"

"Of course. I need to get to know you better before we fully determine how you could best assist Host Club profits… and of course, I've nothing better to do."

"Ah. Well, doesn't that make me feel all kinds of special? But that does make more sense. And to think, I actually thought you cared about what I wanted to do!" I gave him my playful glance and then, laughing, I ran to the front room of the house.

Kyoya ran after me as he finished pulling his leather jacket on over his baby blue turtle neck. If I wasn't trying to hook him up with someone else, I would totally have considered this flirting. Maybe it still is…

Although we packed a lunch, Kyoya ended up treating me to world class sushi (the real kind, not California rolls) at a place he knew in Kyoto. The kid so far had started referring to me as 'Ash' the way Danni and Jody do.

Our discussion of the Host Club went from how I can assist best to what he enjoyed about it to what events were mandatory for members to attend. I carefully didn't mention or show that I saw two members currently affectionately feeding each other sushi in the corner of the bar.

Kyoya was less uptight, it seemed, the more time we spent together. It was almost as if he was slowly relaxing back to the 17 year old (that he wouldn't normally act like) out on a date (which wasn't a date) with a girl (who wasn't his girlfriend). It made me think how totally Danni-like that sounded in my head.

"You remind me of Tamaki when I first brought him here," Kyoya suddenly told me.

"It's because I'm a dumb blond, right?" I teased.

"No, because you're a dumb _foreigner_," He replied. He laughed and then smiled slightly as he looked out the window.

"You know, Kyoya, sometimes you act like you hate _everything_. I think that's because you're afraid that someone might hate _you_. Because you're afraid of rejection," I told him. "Like, when you spoke about Tamaki. You said his name with such respect, yet you proceeded to insult him."

I half expected him to tell me to shut up or something. But what he said threw me. "You're right," He said softly. "You know, you're the first person who just told me I was being foolish," He looked lost staring out the window.

"It's not foolish to fear rejection. I'm scared everyday that someone is going to see past the neon highlights and short skirts and see… well, see me." I told him. "Not Ashley McArthur, not Ash. I'm talking about the real me that no one ever sees. The only one who ever saw that deep inside me was Danni, but I think she saw only what I once was, not what I am now,"

I looked out the window as well. When he thought I couldn't see it, I saw a sense of comfort dance across his face before going back to his guarded expression. "How do you do it?" He asked.

"How do I do what?"

"How do you suppress your fear of rejection?" He replied. "How do you hide that your inner-self is guarded?"

I was honestly more shocked at my answer then at his question. I answered without thinking, "I associate with people who won't care who the real me is."

"How do I know if I have?"

"You won't have to ask that question anymore," We returned to eating sushi in silence before returning to the Otori house. His sister, Fuyumi, was waiting in the main entrance for him.

"Kyoya, where have you been…? Oh! Why didn't you tell us you had a little girlfriend? We wouldn't have been so worried!"

What was she talking about saying 'Girlfriend'? Now who was… oh, she's talking about me. Well I couldn't have any of that now could I? "Oh, I'm no his girlfriend. Nothing personal," I said to him. He nodded gratefully.

"Oh, then who are you?" Fuyumi didn't seem too thrilled at my presence.

"McArthur, Ashley; exchange student from _AMERICA_." I said.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot the exchange student lodging wasn't set in stone until you got here…" She saw Kyoya's eyebrows go up a fraction of an inch. "I'm sorry. It's just that I don't think Father will…"

"I've informed Father, Fuyumi and he wants to know what McAr- sorry, _ASH_ is like."

"I swear… It's like a 3 letter name! Seriously, even Danni can remember it, how do _you_ manage to fail so miserably?"

"How do you know so much Japanese slang?" Kyoya's sister asked, relaxing visibly.

"I learned it from my friend, Jody. His cousin lives in Japan. They speak Japanese on the phone. That's why Jody's so fluent, so I tried to learn. From what I've heard, Jesse always needs a good telling off."

"You know a man named 'Jody'?"

"Well, yeah." I said. "His parents wanted a girl." They both looked at me like I was crazy. While rolling my eyes, I saw a glimpse of blue and mocha hanging from a crystal chandelier. I would have to have a talk with that girl later…


	3. Chapter 3:The Time Kyoya was 1stDanni'd

_**Chapter 3: **_

_**WHEN KYOYA WAS FIRST "DANNI'D"**_

_**(Note: Neither I, Addiena, nor my dear friend Red Heads with Chocolate, own any part of Ouran Host Club. Despite what we tell our friends at school.**_

_**Addiena: by the way, we really would love reviews people! I hate having to beg but Coco is riding me for answers I don't have and feedback we haven't received.)**_

(Danni's POV)

I was spying on Kyoya the only way I knew how: like a ninja. I won't tell you where I got my training, or how I trained to the level of skill I posses, but I will tell you that you'll never know where I am. And I mean never. That's how good I am at what I do: no one ever really knows where I am, and I like to keep it that way. My friends got so used to it, I could pop up just about anywhere and they wouldn't be surprised in the least. I know, because I've done it before.

I had been standing on top of the school clock tower when I had seen him earlier. See, I was sort of spying on Mori, but I caught the glint off Kyoya's glasses. Don't ask me how, I just know I did. I had looked at him, then at Mori's class. He was standing at the window, looking right at me. I was supposed to meet him, but Kyoya was in the opposite direction. Talk about hard decisions, ya know?

The wind had blown my hair free and I stood and turned my back on my beloved Mori. Looking back, I saw him nod and actually smile. He had such a nice smile, and he knew I loved to see it.

I smiled back, and then I used the skills no one understood or knew the origins of except Jody. Yeah, Jody knew about it all. He actually knew everything to know about me, just like I knew everything there was to know about him. Whatever, though; it was no trouble for me to jump from the roof top down to a tree.

Looking down at Kyoya from the branches of the tree he was standing under, I felt like a part of the tree. I might as well have been for all the noise I made. I knew there was something he kept hidden away from everyone else. I wasn't sure what it was, but I was sure as hell gonna find out.

Leaning forward so I could see better, I saw him look around once to see if anyone was watching, then he pulled a picture out and stroked it tenderly before he kissed the face. I almost fell out of the tree when I saw who it was.

The next day, I told Mori and Jody what I saw. Jody told me I knew what I had to do. Mori told me that whatever I did, I would have to do it one on one alone with Kyoya. I agreed with them both. Although, I will confess that I expressed my appreciation for Mori in private…

I decided on the direct approach, so I dropped in on his place. Actually, I dropped in on his bedroom. Now, this would normally be a difficult task since Kyoya locks his bedroom window, but it wasn't a big deal…for someone like me, anyway.

I had to wait an hour before he finally came home, but he did come home. He looked at the window that I had come through, puzzled. Shrugging, he turned away. I waited silently from my vantage point hanging upside down on his bedroom chandelier. I licked my lips as he took off his shirt.

'Nice definition,' I thought. 'Not as good as Mori's, though he's got his own figure going pretty well!' I ogled a little too long. When Kyoya started taking off his pants, I knew I'd have to say something or else I'd start longing for a body that I wasn't in any position to long for.

I decided to make my presence known in a witty yet rather flattering comment. "Nice abs, Kyoya,"

"…AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Kyoya practically hit the roof when he heard my voice and saw me hanging from his chandelier in my old form fitting Samurai outfit from the States.

As I dropped to land a few feet in front of him, I rubbed my ears. "…Ouch… why do they always scream? Does anyone ever think about how sensitive my ears are? Does anyone care about how I feel at all?" Rubbing my stinging ears again, I winced.

Looking around, he backed up a few steps as he stammered, "H…how…how…how did you…how did you get in here?" He stared at my crouched form in fear and awe.

Smiling sweetly, I stood up and answered, "That's for me to know, and… well actually that's just for me to know. Why don't you tell him how you feel, Kyoya?"

"Tell who? Tell them what?" he asked suspiciously. "And I still want to know how you got in here!"

"You know, tell HIM how you feel, of course," I totally ignored the first and last questions he asked me. I knew it pissed him off, but I really didn't care at the moment.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about." I stepped forward as he spoke those wavering words.

"Tell Tamaki you love him, Kyoya…" I watched his face turn white as the realization of what I knew dawned on him.

He fell to his knees and whispered hoarsely, "Please, don't tell him…please…please, I don't want him to know how I feel…" his tears fell freely and unheeded to the carpet.

"_I_ won't tell him," I turned towards the open window to leave. "But _you_ should. I could tell him without your expressed 'permission', but then, he would probably admit his own feelings if you'd just admit yours. I assure you, the feelings are mutual. He just needs an excuse to tell you; just like you think you need an excuse to tell him how you feel. You both want to step through that door, Kyoya, but someone has to open it first…"

Kyoya looked at me with glistening eyes that seemed to draw my heart out and make me want to hold someone dear to me and never let go. He dried his eyes, and stood on shaky legs.

"Just tell the boy before he loses interest!" I said with a knowing laugh, smiling at him while I turned away.

He smiled as he watched me turn. "Wait a minute," I saw his reflection as he reached out after me.

"Kyoya, I have just helped you attain the strength needed to find and share true happiness with the one you love. I've given you enlightenment. What could you possibly ask of me now?" I didn't turn as I waited for his response.

"I…I want to know how you got past everything! I mean, you know, past the security and the guard dogs and everything else…" Aha, the boy was smart _and_ stupid at the same time.

Smiling, I said, "I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." He smiled his soft smile. All the laughter in his eyes left when he sensed the seriousness in my voice as I spoke the next words.

"No, I'd seriously have to kill you. And I would do it, too,"

My smile changed to something even Mori would think blank.

I crouched in his open window, and thought carefully about what I was about to do. Fully understanding what might happen if I told him, I turned partially. "It was easy for me…" I saw his look of confusion. "The security and all… You should know it's easy for someone like me to get past. That's all…" As his eyes got large, I leapt from his window into the night. I looked at him from the thick cherry blossom outside his window, and knew I had left him more confused than when I came to him earlier.

I made a quick stop by Ash's room down the hall before I disappeared again. "You just Danni'd Kyoya, didn't you?"

My maniacal laughter could be heard throughout all Japan, I swear. Mori, sound asleep in his _unbelievably_ comfortable bed, smiled. You want to know how I knew? Heh, just ask Ash.

_(Ash's POV)_

Kyoya and I had just finished our long walk home from Ouran. So far, the only weird thing was the walking part (we have a limo… hello?).

Anyways, Kyoya was in his room changing while I was relaxing in mine. I'd already changed my clothes in the clubroom due to my rebel party girl act for the Club. I had the room next to Kyoya's. This made "Helping-Him-Win-Prince-Baka-Over-Without-Him-Knowing-Behind-Danni-And-Flash's-Backs" a fairly easy plan to execute. Especially since the walls in the mansion were paper-thin.

I was waiting for the pathetic stuttering of love confessions Kyoya had started on to start when I heard a familiar voice. "Nice abs, Kyoya," I heard a piercing shriek. Kyoya must have been changing. Heh, heh…

I momentarily considered coming to his rescue, but then changed my mind quickly when I realized that my eavesdropping would be most effective with the paper-thin walls. Instead, I came to the sound conclusion that Kyoya was still stuttering like the closet case he was, then silently wished for some popcorn.

"Tell him how you feel," Again, I was amazed at how bizarre my best friend really was. Kyoya continued stuttering. Suddenly things went quiet. I wondered if Danni killed him… and I was concerned about myself.

Danni appeared beside me with something behind her back. But I was a little ticked. "You Danni'd Kyoya, didn't you?" It wasn't really a question. I was still pissed at not having any popcorn.

But, low and behold, after a Danni style maniacal laugh, she tossed me a bag of fresh popcorn as she draped her long (shocking, since she's so damn short) legs over the back of my couch. She always _had_ loved seeing the world upside-down.

"How'd you know?" She asked with a slight upside down smile.

"The ear-splitting scream was sort of a dead give away," I continued to stare at the ceiling while I munched on popcorn.

"I know, right? I mean, why do they always scream?"

"Jody doesn't scream," I pointed out matter-of-factly.

"True," she consented. "But, you guys don't count." I sat up and looked at her. "You guys are my friends, so you're both used to it." I fell back, thoughtful.

"I guess…" I started to reply, but she was already gone. I took this as my cue to do some post-Danni therapy for the unfortunate teenaged Japanese millionaire in the next room.

"…Kyoya?" I wasn't really sure what state I expected to find Kyoya in, but it sure wasn't him lying on his bed in the fetal position… sucking his thumb.

I mean, this was big and bad, Scary-To-The-Point-Of-No-Return, "Mommy-I-Don't-Want to-Be-Deported", Master Dark Prince Intimidator, and_THE_ Shadow King we're talking about here!

Stuttering like an idiot at a Tamaki practicing dummy? Sure. Making deportation threats that are most likely real? Oh, yeah. Glaring over his Demon's Notebook at someone who just made his "D" list? Absolutely.

Frozen and mentally scarred for life because a 16 year old girl named Danni Jones (possibly a black ops ninja-assassin) found a way past all his high-tech security so she could get into his locked and alarmed window and hung from a chandelier waiting for him to come home so she could confront him about his secret crush on Tamaki (AKA King Baka)? Well…when you put it that way….

"Kyoya Sempei? Are you okay?" I stepped partly into the room.

"How did she know?" I could barely hear him from behind his arms.

"Kyoya, I'm assuming that by 'she' you mean Danni, in which case you should know that only Danni can answer that. And knowing her, that is _so_ not going to happen. I _can_ tell you that Danni knows whatever people don't want her to. Ironically, everything she should know since you tell her a hundred times, she never recalls. Like why there was a whole four and a half years that you hated everything about each other before you 'became best friends for the second time'!"

"You know from experience, I take it?" Kyoya said with a small smile.

"We hated each other. And she doesn't even remember _it was entirely my fault_! Every day I had to look at her and Jody… my _replacement_… and I didn't even blame her…" I slumped back across the foot of his deluxe king-sized bed. I decided to be comfortable during my rant.

Stretching out, I continued. "I didn't blame her because I sold out like the looser rich So-Cal be-och blond I was so desperate to be," I went on.

"I started treating my best friend like she was beneath me. Like I was better than her because I could afford $60 jeans and wear my bathing suit to school instead of a bra. In reality, I was miserable. And deep down inside, I still cared. Just because I knew she hated me," I could feel Kyoya turn towards me.

"But on the outside, I was just another bitchy blond So-Cal girl with no brains and cute clothes." I sensed Kyoya reach out towards me. "And please don't feel sorry for me. I was the one everyone else wanted to be. But it was only nice from the outside looking in. I could've had any guy I wanted… until they realized I wasn't an idiotic slut who would drop her $60 jeans for the first guy who asked."

Kyoya tensed like he was going to say something that I was going to kill him for, but I cut him off before he pushed it. "That's why I'm so good at my 'Act' for the Host Club… there was a time that Act was my life."

"I had no idea…" I could tell he was reevaluating me.

"You want to know the worst part? I felt bad about her _forgiving_ me." I looked at him suddenly and caught him off guard. "I _still_ feel that way… as if I don't deserve her friend ship… or Jody's."

"I'm not sure what to say…" Kyoya murmured.

"Don't say anything. Not to anyone. Danni acts like she doesn't remember and Jody didn't know me before then, so honestly you're the only person I've ever told this to." I smiled ruefully.

"I think I understand now." He said, stretching out next to me. "Why you act the way you do, I mean. I understand why you put on the Act when you're so obviously not the person you pretend to be."

"Why's that, if I may be so bold?" He could hear the bitter sarcasm lacing my voice.

"You're like me… not like me in all ways, of course. But you're like me in the sense that you fear rejection. If you become who everyone else thinks you should be then they have no choice but to accept the way you act, because they told you to become that person,"

"Let me help you, Kyoya." I stated, sitting up and sort of leaning over him. I hadn't realized how close he had been. "I heard what Danni was bugging you… or rather, _scaring_ you… about. I can help. Please let me."

Kyoya sat up as well and looked deep into my eyes. "Well, seeing as you've got Kaoru Hitachiin to abandon his brother for you, not to mention all those phone calls during Club hours…"

"You know what? I've had just about enough Doom and Gloom for today. So, what do you say we head to that _awesome_ sushi bar in Kyoto to formulate our plan?" I stood up and held out my hand for him.

"_What_ plan?" Kyoya reached up and grasped it.

"Why, the "Ask-Out-King-Baka-And-Quit-Stuttering-Hopelessly-To-A-Practice-Dummy" plan, Kyoya! Duh…" I rolled my eyes sarcastically.

"Is that the official title?" Kyoya grinned as he reached for his glasses on the bedside table.

"Yes," I told him matter-of-factly. "Although…You _can_ call it Plan B if you prefer."

"Plan _B_?"

"Well, I assumed the practice dummy was Plan _A,_ right?" Get this: Kyoya Otori actually blushed.

"Not really '_Plan_ A'; more like '_Pathetic Attempt_ A' if you ask me," Kyoya pushed his glasses up his nose, hiding the merriment in his eyes behind a cross glare. "What?" he asked as I stared at him in amazement.

"Kyoya, that almost made you sound human," I grinned at his face. He began to blush a deeper shade of red, as we walked out of his room towards the front hall. "I take that back; you _ARE_ human! You're annoyingly mature for your age, but you're defiantly human. Do you think we can we walk to Kyoto?"

"Sure. Hey, can I ask you a question?" he asked. He slung his arm over my shoulders like we were old friends. He resembled an all American teenage guy. He really _did_ just need to express himself a little more.

"What is it Kyoya?"

"_Would_ you drop your skinny jeans for the first guy who asked?" I grabbed his arm and shoved it off my shoulders.

"You know, I take back my take back. You aren't human. You're an American teenaged pervert in disguise."

His sort of half chuckle, half laugh was cute. "Thanks, Ash. By the way, you _do_ know it's about a 58 mile walk, right?"

I thought for a second before I spoke. "Do me a favor,"

"Yes, what do you need Ash?" Kyoya's hair fluttered lightly in the breeze. The sun was to our backs. I could tell it would be a beautiful walk.

"Call the limo." I could see the laugher in his eyes as made the call.


	4. Chapter 4: Hika gets Danni'd

_**CHAPTER 4:**_

_**WHEN HIKARU WAS FIRST DANNI'D**_

We had been in Japan attending Ouran for roughly two months now, and I was passing through the neighborhood when I saw the lights on in the Hitachiin mansion. I decided to stop by to see what was to be seen. I knew Ash was at their place since Kaoru was making her a, quote un-quote, fashionable dress.

Instead of seeing Ash with experimental cloth draped off her with Kaoru on his knees, I found Hikaru drying his hair with a towel. He had just got out of the shower, and he had a towel wrapped around his waist.

Made perfect sense to say something; this wouldn't be the first time I purposely Danni'd someone. I decided it was probably a good idea to compliment him on some part of his delicious physique. Why not say something like…

"Nice ass," I said quietly.

"…AAAAHHHHH!" That boy freaked out big time. He still couldn't see me.

Kaoru and Ash showed up right after Hika calmed down. "Nice ass," Ash commented smoothly. Unfortunately, this made Hika freak out again.

"THAT'S WHAT SHE JUST SAID! SHE JUST STARTED TALKING FROM NOWHERE WHILE I WAS IN THE BUFF!"

"You sure are buff…" my disembodied voice echoed.

Looking around, Ash had an expression of absolute boredom on her face. "That's all? Dude, you've just been Danni'd, that's all. Come on Kaoru, you need to finish my dress… By the way, she's probably hanging from the ceiling."

"DON'T YOU CARE THAT SHE JUST CAME FROM NOWHERE AND IS TALKING ABOUT MY NAKED BODY?" Hika was near hysterics.

"What? Don't you like me?" My voice had a hint of hurt.

"Actually, I'm used to it by now." Ash replied casually, "It's actually something that kind of grows on you. It's something that you learn to expect and love about her…" she shrugged as Kaoru followed her out.

"WAIT! DON'T LEAVE MEEE!"

"What? You really don't like me?" I was standing a few feet behind him when I spoke. He spun around and almost dropped his towel. I smiled smugly as I continued, "You know, I sure like you. Although, you're no Takashi Morinozuka…"

He spun around like a madman trying to keep track of me as I slid in and out of the shadows. "You don't _still_ have wet dreams about me, do you Hika?"

He blushed as he mumbled, "Maybe…"

I smiled, and whispered lustily, "Well then, what do you plan on doing about it? Because believe it or not, I want you, Hikaru Hitachiin…" Melting into the shadows, I watched him shiver. "I'm waiting on you now…"

"…Ash-chan! Kaoru! Wait for me!" I laughed my disembodied laugh as I watched him make his escape in his loose-fit, 400 thread count, 100% cotton towel.

"So immature, although there is tomorrow nights' shower…"

(Ash's POV)

"…Ash-chan! Kaoru! Wait for me!" Hikaru shrieked as he made his _'escape'_ in his Multi-million dollar towel.

"Aren't you missing a few things, Hika?" asked Kaoru successfully masking his urge to laugh.

"I am? Like what?" Hikaru was still shaking at what had just happened. All though Danni didn't really do anything to him. It just scarred him for life that she got passed their security system.

"Oh, I don't know… how about, your pants?" Kaoru pointed at the towel.

"And where's the rest of your clothes?" I chimed in, not bothering to suppress my own laughter.

"Uh, you think you could get them for me, Ash?" Hika asked.

"No need for me to do anything. Look," I pointed at the chair behind him. Where Danni had neatly laid out his clothes (Boxers included). Not to mention that she made sure they were color coordinated with his hair and eyes so he'd look good if he decided to go out.

"How did…" Hikaru stuttered and pointed with large eyes.

"I'm not ALL bad, Hika. Just MOSTLY bad…" she laughed her maniacal laugh as she leapt from their roof.

(Danni's POV)

Now that I'd had my fun, I would go to Takashi's house. He enjoyed it when I spent the night at his place.

I enjoyed sleeping in his bed. It was irresistibly comfortable, and he liked having my body warm him during the night. I'd sleep with my head on his chest with his arm around me. We never do anything, but it's nice to see his face when he wakes up with me next to him. He'd stroke my face and smile.

Tonight, I was going to sleep in his bed, at his right side. And I was going to eat breakfast while wearing one of his shirts. Most of them smelled like me, anyway. Not because we did anything. I just like to wear his clothes when I come over, that's all.

(Jody POV)

I'm fairly sure Danni will tell you this, too; that asking Ash about this would lead you to your immediate death, I mean. Although dragging good gossip (not the "Kyoya likes Tamaki" kind, but the "Ash did what?" kind) out of Danni is not as unlikely as you'd think either…

Sorry, I got side tracked. Club hours started like always: we all changed into "Random Acts of Cosplay", as Ash so bluntly calls it. After that, we all sat around waiting for our faithful (and slightly deranged) customers.

Ashley sat down at her table and I momentarily wondered if she was aware of how elegant she looked. Really, she reminded me of Cleopatra, or Marie Antoinette, or some other great Queen we talked about in World History.

Then again, it might have been the costume talking. It was an 1800's Saloon Girl gown that made her look like n Old Western show girl. It was completed with accurate Fishnet stockings and Garter (rather suspiciously provided by the flirtatious Hitachiin twins) as well as a costume Ponytail holder. A big red feather that matched the stripes in her hair stuck out of the top. Her red crushed velvet dress showed off her curves in a most pleasing manner, as well.

"Ash-chan, you look so cute!" Honey said, bouncing in on a miniature pony like a kid cowboy. He looked so much like a little kid, it almost made me sick. Seriously, the kid's almost 18 years old! He has to stop with the Pre-K act!

"Thanks, Sempei…" She was sensing the Tamaki-ness in Honey's words.

"KAWAII! Ash-chan, you look so SEXY!" Kaoru shouted, scaring the crap out of the Baka-from-Hell (as me and Danni secretly call Hikaru… we also sometimes refer to him as 'Wet Dreamer').

"I… uh… yeah, thanks, Kaoru." I could tell Ash was upset about something he said, but I wasn't sure about what. I didn't know Ash as well as I know Danni, but I can still recognize hurt in someone's eyes when I see it.

Ash tapped her foot nervously in her heels and her blue eyes looked at everything in the room except the Host Club, Danni and me. She locked eyes with Kyoya, who's grey eyes flashed with obvious understanding before returning to his usual blank (I always thought of it as more Demonic, really) expression.

Just as elegant Ash was falling to pieces, an adult woman with long, thick, gorgeous red hair stepped gracefully into the room. "The twin's Mom," Haruhi coughed in my ear. (I was sitting down and she (yes; SHE) was behind me).

"Hikaru, Kaoru," the twins were strangely boring as their mother airily glanced around the room. "I can see why you like this Club so much!" And then her eyes locked on Ash, who was already preparing to run out of the room.

I sent a text to Danni as the sound of Ash's foot tapping grew more rapid.

{W T F R U? Ash is losing it! WD & Co's Mom showed up… think she's going to kill Ash!} Really, I shouldn't have been surprised when a cell phone went off from the chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Danni came down with a barely audible 'thud' trying to text me back. Yet, she still managed to land on her feet.

"You've got to put that on vibrate from now on," Ash told Danni.

Coming to stand between me and Mori (still not sure when he got there), Danni leaned towards me. "I was well aware ash was about to run away screaming," she said. Darkly, she added, "I can't help: I can't kill anyone in this thing!" She was wearing a deep, deep blue (almost black) version of Ash's outfit.

In fact, her particular outfit also had a few additions: In her ponytail was a big blue feather with rhinestones along the spine. Her corset was tied so as to show off her not inconsiderable top-heaviness. Her dark blackish-brown eyes flashed in sharp contrast with the brightness of her diamond necklace. The Club Dressing Room didn't have such jewelry in stock, so I'm assuming that Mori had bought it for her (it's not like he can't afford buying expensive jewels on a whim).

Ash started laughing and crying at the same time, but after awhile it tapered down to a low groan. After a few minutes, even that tapered into silence. There was an increasingly awkward silence in which everyone sat or stood staring at one another. Suddenly, Ash's phone went off. At least, we knew it had gone off when Ash pulled her Galaxy S out of the front of her… ahem… corset.

"Oh, hell…" she said, looking totally upset.

"Is that your mystery date?" Kyoya asked slyly. Well that was news to me…

"Yes," Ash muttered. "He wants to take me out for Sushi in Tokyo."

"That's funny; my cousin has a sushi date in Toky-" Then it hit me. "Oh, god, Ash… Say you didn't?"

"Didn't what?" Kyoya asked. I looked at him. He was sincere. Crap…

"She wouldn't," Danni chided. She turned on Ash, "You wouldn't, right?"

"_Weeellllllll_…" Ash drawled slowly.

"… Oh, my God, Ashley! He's a womanizing, spiteful, deceitful BASTARD! How could you?" I couldn't believe this!

"He's not _THAT _bad… he's actually kind of nice when you get past the…"

"Past _what_? Past the pitch black, swirling vortex that he calls his heart?"

"Well no, that's just a front he puts on," Is she DEFENDING HIM?

"I just don't want you to get hurt." Keep the peace, got to keep the-

"Really?" she said icily. "I had no idea!" Wait a minute, what now?

"Ash, come on. Don't be like that!"

"You think I'm stupid because I'm blonde? You think I'm a 'ho because I wear my hair in weird colors and like to party? What you _don't_ know is that I have a 4.0 GPA (which is, like, 2.5 points higher than yours) and I want to be an author. You _don't_ know that, despite your beliefs, you are a terrible liar. You don't care about me being hurt or not. If you did, you'd tell me the truth, Jody 'Flash' Callahan, rather than letting me hope desperately that you'll realize that I loved you! No, you don't care! Because if you did, you would've told me you were GAY! I'm sick of being the Clueless Party Girl! And Jesse, he understands that!" Ash was near tears and screaming.

"Ash, I do care…" Why would she start freaking out all the sudden?

"Prove it." By now, the whole Club was staring. Even Danni was shocked.

"What's my favorite color?" Ash snapped.

"I don't know… pink?"

"My favorite flower?"

"Rose,"

"My favorite song?"

"Umm… 'Mine' by Taylor Swift,"

"Favorite form of self expression?"

"Dance,"

"What's my middle name, Jody?"

"Margret?" I said after a pause. Suddenly, she just started sobbing. Not crying; sobbing. "Marie? Hum… Miranda? I don't know; something that starts with an 'M', right?"

"It's Theresa. Real close." She said venomously. "By the way; my favorite color is _black_, my favorite flower is an _Amaranth_, and my song is _'Secrets'_ by _One Republic_. The only thing you got right was my favorite form of self expression." She shook her head. "You call your _cousin_ a heartless, womanizing, bastard, but _he_ knows more about me than _you_ do… and _you _are my best friend. Or, at least I _thought_ you were." Ash turned away from me, tears streaking her face.

"Ash, I…" I reached out after her, but she flinched away, shaking her head.

"Jody 'Flash' Callahan, I never want to see you again." Her voice was flat, but filled with such sadness. I retracted my hand.

"Fine; if that's what you really want." I threw my hand up and shook my head in defeat. I didn't really know what else I _could _do. I had always known that Ash had a thing for me, but the fact that she knew my secret all this time…

I looked at Danni with large eyes, unsure until she locked eyes with me and slowly shook her head. No; no Danni hadn't told her. Ash had known all along. She's known all along that we had been lying to her…

"You know, it's funny," I said softly. "You knew all this time Danni and I had been holding something back from you, and you never confronted us about it, not even _once_. You never confronted us… until now…" I turned to walk away and make myself disappear from Ash's life forever. She was right; I wasn't the best friend I had pretended to be. She deserved better than a friend that was willing to lie to her face before he would let someone learn his secret. "Goodbye, Ashley,"

She shocked me yet again. "No!" I felt my sleeve tighten. "Don't go!"

I turned and saw Ash hanging onto my arm. "You know, you're sending me mixed signals here." She looked confused. I'd said it in English.

"I can't push people away because they've seen me for who I am anymore. I understand that now. I need to know that people like the real me, and not just 'Bubbly Air-Head' me that everyone sees because that's what they expect." Ash started crying silent tears as she replied in English. Smiling, I reached out for her. Ash came into my arms like old times, and I hugged my best friend.

"How long have you known…well, ya-know?" I asked in Japanese.

"Come _on_, Jody. After you turned down every girl in school it was _kind of_ obvious." Since she was speaking in Japanese again, everyone (save Kyoya and Danni, who had understood the English as well) could understand us again. Turning to the dazed group, Ash spoke to everyone. "Sorry, everybody," She smiled, ruefully. "It was nothing; just a complete and total emotional breakdown on my part. Go home now, nothing to see here."

"Boys," I heard Mrs. Hitachiin say. "That is a delightful dress style the girls are wearing!"

"Thanks, mother," they said simultaneously. "We were inspired," I laughed as I watched Ash's face pale.

(Danni's POV)

It was about a week or so later when I was walking down the hallways, that I noticed someone sneaking around. I found this odd, because normally I was the only one who did any sneaking around at Ouran Academy. I figured I should probably investigate what was going on before something bad happened, so I hid my school clothes behind a loose baseboard I found the other day, and then climbed the pillar next to me until I was hanging upside down from a chandelier. Damn, I loved doing that.

"You sure no one saw you?" This was interesting, if not slightly strange. Here I am hanging out above three kids talking about being followed. Wait a minute… _three _people? I counted off the people below me as I gave a shocked student an evil glare from my perch.

That was Jesse directly below me. I knew that name. He shouldn't even be here, since he wasn't an Ouran Student... He was also Jody's cousin. Well actually they were brothers, but besides me I don't think anyone knew. Yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinking: How the heck do you know if he doesn't? Well, I had Kyoya do some digging for me. What? The guy owed me if he wants me to keep my vow of secrecy for him. Heh, Heh… you want to know, you can either ask Ash, or ask me later.

Hiding in the shadows, was Kaoru, only he was _alone, _and by 'alone' I mean no Hikaru. This could only have meant that the girl standing in front of Jesse was Ash. I had found out by the end of the first month here that the only real amount of time the twins spent separated involved Kaoru following Ash around like a lost puppy. He was obsessed ever since he found out her measurements for a dress the twins were making. I'll have to tell you about it later, because it was funny beyond belief.

"Of _course_ I wasn't followed; I know how to sneak around!" Obviously, he did not otherwise I would not have been hanging from a chandelier over head. Ash knew I was everywhere and that I usually knew everything before it happened. Hardly anything got past me. I watched and listened carefully to the exchange that followed.

"I don't want to hide anymore, Ash," He wasn't hiding very well as it was…

"I _know_ Jesse, but it's only until I can get Kaoru off my back, I _promise_!" Was Ash _ever_ going to get him off her back? I thought it was highly unlikely.

"And how long will _that_ take? I don't want to be secretive. If I wanted secrets, I'd be with Danni or Mori!" The dude made a valid argument, not to mention he was pretty spot-on with the Kaoru thing...

"Why aren't you, then?" Ash sounded smug, and why wouldn't she be? She totally had the upper hand here.

"I don't know! I don't know why I wait for you!" Jesse sounded so confused and agitated. So _Un_-Jesse from what Flash told me about the guy.

Leaning close to him, I barely heard Ash whisper, "It's because you know I'm worth waiting for…" At that she leaned over and kissed him.

Kaoru was barely controlling himself when he snuck down the hallway, keeping to the shadows so they wouldn't see him. Which they didn't…but I did.

Talking with Mori, I told him what I heard. "What should I do?"

He turned from me and looked silently off into the distance for awhile, thinking. The sunlight danced in his eyes, and they sparkled like deep blue Sapphires. It reminded me of the way Jody once said that my eyes glitter when I get a sneaky thought running through my head.

One time I saw my reflection when I was jumping across the rooftops one night. I was in Tokyo and I was on top of the tower. I was getting ready to jump down when I saw my face in the glass. My eyes were glittering, and it made me look dangerous and mysterious.

Still, I waited patiently for Mori to tell me what he thought. Mori doesn't say much, but I don't mind. I don't say that much, either.

Finally, he looked at me. "I think you should do whatever you think you should do. I'll handle Kaoru," He leaned towards me and whispered in my ear, "You know I've got your back, whatever you decide," Then he kissed me until I shivered with his touch.

'This is interesting; just wait until I tell Takashi…' I thought as I watched Jesse and Ash mack out in a closet. It was about a week since the whole thing with Ash, Jesse and Kaoru had taken place and I was in a hidden air duct making notes about the Host Club's private affairs.

I had already taken note of Honey's carrot eating (the vegetable, not the type of cake); Hikaru's lipstick fetish (rosy pink is not his color); Tamaki's picture of Kyoya in a swimsuit (it's quite disturbing, actually); Kyoya's practice dummy for telling Tamaki how he feels (it is really rather sad); and Kaoru's streaks around campus in the middle of the night (I didn't need to know that and I desperately wish I could forget). I already knew Takashi jumps on the roofs blindfolded at night (I race him a lot). However, I still needed some more info.

Shockingly, even with the whole Kaoru thing I just mentioned, this was beyond what I thought I was going to see. Normally I came to that particular closet to think and regroup. Sometimes I found Takashi waiting for me and I would kick him out because I wanted to be alone. Yeah, I would kick his hot butt out of my thinking closet. So imagine my surprise when I find Ash and Jesse in there.

I decided I would have a little fun. It had been awhile since I had Danni'd anyone, and I didn't want to lose my touch. Like always, there was no warning. I'm not saying how I got out that air duct (Cause Kyoya would stop up the hole… in a totally calm-yet-secretly-frantic way of course) all I'm saying is that I did. "You guys sure like to Mack out, don't you?"

"…AAAHHHHHHHH! Oh…" Dude fainted. I tried so hard not to laugh.

"How did you get in here, Danni?" Ash demanded.

(Ash's POV)

"…AAAHHHHHHHH! Oh…" Jesse fainted. Danni was tying so hard not to laugh and still managed to fail at it.

"How did you get in here, Danni?" I demanded.

Laughing, she turned on the lights. Sometime while I was looking down at the unconscious form of Jesse, I slipped back into the air duct. I was slow; it took me about 3 seconds to get through and close the door. Sitting there, I snickered as I heard Ash mutter, "Damn…"

(Danni's POV)

I moved silently down more shafts. 'I'll have to talk to Takashi and Kyoya about those two, but until then…' I settled down and watched Kyoya stutter through another tale of his feelings to a Tamaki dummy.

"Want some popcorn?"

"Takashi! Thanks, I'd love some."

"Did I miss anything?"

"No, he just started. This is fun to watch together, isn't it?"

"Yeah."


	5. Bonus Chapter One

_**BONUS 1:**_

_**JUST THOSE TWO: ASH, JESS… AND KAORU?**_

**Days had gone by before anyone noticed what Mori and I had noticed about two weeks earlier. The two of them were getting way too close. And that meant that Jody was gonna have to have one of those little "birds and bees" talks with his cousin and Ash really quick. Okay, I can tell you're dying for the details, so here's what happened:**

_**~TWO WEEKS AGO~**_

**"Takashi, what's up? You normally don't come to these particular hallways that often. Is something wrong with the Club? Do you need me and Ash, or something?" Genuine concern filled my voice and heart, and I could tell Takashi thought it was adorable that I cared so much for the Club even though I'd only been there about three weeks.**

** Smiling slightly, Takashi shook his head. (Besides Honey, I was the only one who called Mori 'Takashi'.) "No, nothings wrong. At least, nothings wrong yet. I came here because I needed to talk to you. Trust me, its important."**

** His eyes were so intense... it made my heart flutter. Takashi was the strong and silent type, which made him **_**my**_** type. I trusted him better then I trusted myself. Not really knowing what he wanted, I excused myself from class under the guise of urgent Club business. I had no clue how close I was to telling the truth. **

**Walking down the hall, Takashi told me why he had pulled me away from my classes. "I saw Ash talking with some boy yesterday. I think it was Jesse." I looked up at him as I fixed my single strap backpack. (Besides Ash and Jody, I was the only one who actually used a backpack. Takashi still couldn't figure out, no matter how many times I tried to tell him, why I actually possessed one.) **

** Seeing my quizzical expression mixed with mild discomfort, he reached over and took my backpack from me as he explained further. "Jesse is Flash's cousin. He lives here in Japan and he's letting Flash stay with him while you guys are here. Remember when Kyoya made the phone calls?" **

**"So that's how Jody caught onto Japanese so quickly! He had inside help!" Takashi frowned slightly. "Flash's real name is Jody. He got the nickname after he saved me from a fate worse then death. But, what does that have to do with Ash? Maybe they were just talking about Jody or something."**

** Takashi shook his head. "You didn't see the way they were talking. They were standing so close you couldn't see the space between them. You should have seen the way they acted when I walked up to them." **

**"Wait, don't tell me," I stopped walking. Takashi stopped, too, and looked at me with interest. "They jumped apart and acted like nothing was going on. And when you asked what was happening, Ash said 'Nothing, nothings happening, why would you think anything's happening?' in a very fast, very squeaky voice? Then she kind of half stumbled, half walked away, laughing as she went?" Amazed, he nodded. **

**I started pacing back and forth. "This is way more serious than I thought." I muttered as I rubbed my hair beyond the point of "looking decent" to "needing the twins to fix it". I hated the way Takashi just stood there sort of chuckling as I slowly lost all of my unnaturally gifted ability to think and reason. I glared at him with eyes of fire. "How... DARE YOU LAUGH AT A TIME LIKE THIS? THIS IS SERIOUS, TAKASHI MORINOZUKA!" I exploded with a wall of righteously ignited fire. **

** Mori stopped laughing and leveled my glaring onslaught of fire with a cool wall of ice as he replied, "You know we have to do something, right?" **

**I stopped my ranting for a minute. "Why is it bad again?" I didn't get what the big deal was.**

** Takashi looked at me with complete seriousness on his face as he said, "It's bad because, if she gets too close to him, it would jeopardize her usefulness. If that happens, she will have to be removed from being a Host." **

** I gasped, as the reality of what could happen dawned on me. "But, why would Ash have to be removed from being a Host? She would just have a boyfriend. Why is that such a big deal?"**

**"If she has a boyfriend outside of the Club, it puts her in a position which restricts her in gathering information. If Jesse was a Host, he would completely understand what she would have to do to get what she needs. Since he's not, she would feel that anything beyond a certain point of effort would betray the feelings she has for him. In order to keep her happy, either Ash would have to leave the Host Club; or Jesse would have to be a Host. That would only work if Jesse transferred to Ouran. Do you honestly think he's got the money to be a part of this school?"**

**I glared at him. My look said that Jody, Ash, and I had gotten into this school without the normal amount of influence and money. Still, we did have special approval from both schools. **

** "I haven't been here nor known you long enough, but I already hate it when you're right." Takashi grinned at me. The fire in my eyes dimmed down to a warm flame. I rubbed my hands together in anticipation. **

**"So what's the plan? Have a little heart to heart talk with the offender? Spread some rumors? Poison some soups? Bust some heads? Have an unfortunate 'accident' befall Jesse when he's alone? Or is it just gonna be a good old fashioned scrap? Come on, I'm ready to go! I've been dying to have a good fight ever since we got here!" **

**I was pumped up and ready to knock Jesse into next Tuesday. I started towards Ash's classroom, totally prepared to knock her unconscious and lock her in a closet until the whole thing blew over. Takashi knew what kind of girl I was. That means that he knew I'd do it. **

**He laid a restraining hand on my arm and pulled me back. He sort of pulled a little too hard, because when I fell back I landed in his arms. Since I was so dark skinned, no one could see me blush. Unfortunately, Takashi happened to be very fair skinned. It was easy to see his face go rose red. **

**"Takashi...You're blushing..."**

** "What? No I'm not!" Takashi was stammering as he spoke. **

** "Yes, you are. And I think you're so cute when you blush!" **

** "You really think so? You think I look... cute... when I blush?" Takashi looked embarrassed and actually a little pleased about what I said. "No one ever said I looked 'cute'. Not without Mitsukuni somewhere nearby." **

**"Well, I think you look cute without Honey," I looked up at him with eyes filed with the fire that burns for one special person, and no one else.**

** Takashi's eyes took on a soft light that mirrored the glow in my own. He gently lifted my chin and looked into my eyes. I wished that moment would last forever. Everything around us became non-existent.**

**Takashi must have realized what we looked like to other people because he slid away. Standing a few feet away, he began blushing furiously. "I have a plan to fix our problem. I think it'll work but I need your help." **

** "You need my help? You know you got it! What's the plan?" A wild gleam got in my eyes as he told me his plan. And I knew this plan was going to work.**

_**THE PRESENT**_

**Watching Jesse and Ash walk together in the park, I felt cold. Like something was missing that she found, ya know? I sensed Takashi behind me, and I felt a glimmer of an old fire start to glow again. It was strange… but nice.**

** I tensed up behind the cherry blossom tree; I had to be watching them, not dwelling on my inner feelings. "What did she just say to him? I can't hear very well…" Takashi pushed against me as he tried to hear. I shivered at his touch. He saw me shiver and backed up so I wouldn't lose my concentration. **

**Mentally shaking myself out of my dreams, I muttered over my shoulder, "She said, 'I've never spent the day just talking to someone before. Flash doesn't talk much now that he's hanging out with his cousin and Danni's…'" I stopped and watched for a few seconds. "Oh. She saw me? I must be losing my touch if she saw **_**me**_** sneaking around."**

**"What about you? What did she say about you? You didn't finish what you were saying," Takashi whispered. "Wait, when did you learn to read lips?"**

** "I've always been able to read lips, Takashi. You knew that; remember I told you last week when we had lunch together." **

** "Oh, right. I forgot. Sorry," He colored at the mention of our shared lunch. We had sushi, and because the restaurant broke a lot of dishes, we ended up eat-ing from the same plate. There may have been some cross eating, but that's for us to know. We did see Ash and Kyoya there. You should **_**really**_** ask Ash about that.**

** "Shush! They're talking again. I can't see their lips; I have to get closer. Stay here; I'll be right back…" I slid around the tree and darted away in the shadows like only I could. I felt his eyes watching me, even as I disappeared from his sight. I jumped into a tree, and continued on jumping from tree to tree.**

** In reality, I just needed to get away from Takashi so he wouldn't see me blush. Although normal people couldn't tell if I was blushing, somehow Takashi always could. And I was seriously blushing right at that moment. **

**The rest of what Ash had said was: "…and Danni's too busy following Mori to be bothered with anything else. I saw her hanging from a chandelier watching him when he came over to Kyoya's day before last. I don't know how she got in!"**

** I laughed quietly while I caught up with the two love birds ahead of me. When I finally reached them, I decided to jump ahead a ways so I wouldn't have to listen and move at the same time. If I did that, I might snap a branch or make a leaf fall and they might hear me. Ash noticed little things like that.**

** Suspended a few feet away, I hung upside down and listened carefully to their conversation. Fortunately for me, there was a bench right under my tree. I really **_**did**_** have the luck of the Irish (ask Ash or Jody) flowing through my veins! **

** "You know, I might get you in trouble. I wouldn't hang around me too much. I'm a bad boy, and I don't want you to get in trouble with the Club or your friends." Silently I agreed with him. He was exactly right in this line of thinking.**

** "I won't get in trouble! What are they gonna do? Kick me out of the Host Club?" I wanted to scream 'Yes, yes they will!' although if I did that, I would blow my cover. Instead, I focused on the conversation again.**

** "I think they would put you out of the Host Club. They would do it for our sakes, though. Could you honestly say you would do the same things for the Club if you were dating me?" Man, this guy was totally reading my mind.**

** Unfortunately, as my interest rose, the cover of foliage did the same. At that moment, Ash said, "I would do whatever made you happy. Danni's too spacey to notice anything anyway! I'll bet that if Mori disappeared, she would just keel over and cry; like a big baby!" That was too much!**

** "How dare you…" I dropped from my perch in the tree; righteous flames shooting from my eyes. "How… DARE you say such things about me, Ashley McArthur? You follow **_**this**_** guy…" I gestured angrily at the clueless dimwit sitting there gaping like a codfish. "… around like a lost puppy! You have no business, no right to accuse me of such hideous behavior!" **

** The fire blazing from my offended person subsided long enough for me to realize that while Jesse was thoroughly shocked, Ash looked as though she… had known I was there the whole time!**

** I couldn't see her eyes, but I saw the smirk as she said, "Gotcha, Danni…" The shock on my face must have amused her, but she continued. "I knew you were somewhere nearby, though I wasn't sure exactly where. You don't get used to having a ninja assassin for a best friend without picking up a few things." **

** I glanced at where Takashi was still hidden down the path. He hadn't moved any closer, but I could still make out his face rather clearly. His hand was over his face, and he was slowly shaking his head while looking at me through his fingers. 'Oops…' I thought, wincing. **

** Standing up, Ash went on. "I said those things to get you out of hiding. You should know I would never mean those things. You and Flash… you and Jody…" I felt happy as she spoke the next words, "You guys are my best friends. No matter what, I would never do anything to push you away. Mori, you can come out too."**

** Coming out of the shadows, Takashi stood next to me. We weren't dressed regularly. Ash and Jesse had come straight from school, so they were still in their respective uniforms. I was in my old black Samurai gi with my (still amazingly sharp) sword slung on my back. Takashi was in his Kendo gi (which looked **_**amazing**_** on him!); since I had involved him right after practice. I had been practicing, too: Sword fighting with Takashi under the cherry blossom trees is **_**so**_** exhilarating. **

** "How long did you know we were following you?" he asked quietly. **

** "Oh, I've known since last week. I saw you when Jesse and I were on our walk under the blossoms of Ouran." I can't believe they knew for a week (at least) and waited this long to confront me about it? **

** Seething with barely controlled anger, I marched up to Ash and stuck my finger in her face the way I used to when I got upset about something. Takashi had to grab and physically restrain me so I wouldn't kill anyone as I hissed my hated words through clenched teeth. I'm not proud of my words, so I won't repeat them. **

** However, I did like SOME of what I said. Let's skip a few paragraphs to the part I liked: "Just what'll I tell Jody? Do you know what could've happened to us? We would've had to leave Japan on the midnight flight as soon as everyone found out! Is that what you wanted? You wanted to keep your budding love in the dark until it blows up full bloom in our collective faces?"**

** "Danielle, calm down. You've said enough, she gets the point. Don't make me drag you out of here. Come on, you're causing a scene." I glared at him over my shoulder. My defiant eyes told him I wasn't gonna back down. "Fine, I'll carry you out of here, since you won't come quietly…" Takashi actually hoisted me over his shoulder and turned to leave.**

** "Sorry to cause you trouble; she was worried about you. She cares more then you could ever truly know." Takashi bowed slightly as he walked away.**

** "If you knew what was good for you, you'd let me go, Takashi Morinozuka!" I kicked as I shrieked out those words.**

** Takashi refused to put me down. To be honest, I kinda liked him carrying me around like that. As he walked, Takashi spoke to me as soothingly as possible so as to calm my flaming anger. Oh, man, was it working: every word he spoke washed over me like a wave of cooling water against my wall of righteous flames.**

** When he finally put me down, I was quite calm. I looked at him with clear eyes. "Thanks for rescuing me from all that," I noticed he looked rather abashed at having to carry me away. He was blushing profusely, and it stood out.**

** "I suppose it was necessary for the benefit of everyone. But still," he rubbed the back of his head. Grinned ruefully, "I had hoped I wouldn't have to handle you." I saw him turn a little redder. Ah… he had wanted to do it anyway. **

** I sensed a shadow within a shadow. My sword was out its sheath and thrust into the dark corner faster then Takashi could react. "…Yah!" I yelled. The shadow fell out of his hiding place with a high-pitched yelp. "Nice of you to drop in to see us…" I said. With a smirk, I added, "Kaoru,"**

** Kaoru looked at me with wide eyes. "How did you know I was there?" I smiled, and heard Takashi chuckling in that annoying way he has. **

** "I know everything. Like how you're in love with Ash as well, aren't you?" Kaoru couldn't believe that I was saying the exact truth. Slowly, with his head down low, he nodded. "I thought so. Didn't I, Takashi?"**

** "Yeah," Takashi then added that he'd noticed Kaoru looking wistfully at her for about a week after we got there. It seemed strange that Kaoru hid his feelings so well; I hadn't noticed any of it. However, I had learned to trust Takashi when it came to noticing things. I pointed out that Kaoru had been following her for the better part of two weeks. Takashi looked shocked. He still didn't know everything. **

"**Tell me, did you really expect her to just love you without trying to see what kind of person you are first? You have to talk to her, instead of following her around in the shadows. That's how girls get to see you as a stalker. I was straight forward in my intentions when I started spending time with Danielle." At this I flinched. I couldn't help it; I didn't see that coming at all. **

** Still, I had to back him up. "He's right, you know. He was obvious with his intentions almost as soon as he realized I was someone he would like to spend time with. You need to do the same with Ash, Kaoru."**

** "You're right, Danni. But I can't do it; no matter how hard I try, I can't talk to her…" Kaoru walked away, his sadness his sadness fairly radiating off his body.**

** "You're gonna ask me out now, right?" Takashi jerked. His face turned red. **

** "I… I guess I should. Do you wanna go out with me?"**

** "I'll be at your place around one, so how about… pizza and a movie?"**

** Smiling, Takashi nodded. "Yeah; pizza sounds good."**


	6. Chapter 6: Kyoya is Danni'd Again

_**CHAPTER 5:**_

_**THE TIME KYOYA WAS DANNI'D… AGAIN**_

(Danni's POV)

I was chilling out with Takashi. It was a few days after I had last Danni'd anyone, and I was bored stiff. Besides, I had Danni'd Kyoya (hilarious!) and then went straight to Takashi's afterwards. I'd been at his place all this time.

Ash was amazed I stayed in one place so long. I told her, "When you care about someone, you do things differently," This was said as I ate a California Roll in a Japanese Sushi Bar. That is totally weird, right? I had gone to talk to Ash, since someone she really likes works there. But you should just ask Ash what happened. All I'll say, is that random guy won't be eating squid anytime in the near future.

Anyways, I was relaxing. Takashi had just finished introducing me to his parents. They were just as silent as Takashi is. My head hurt, and I was lying in his bed with an ice pack on my forehead when my cell started going off. Theme music for "Ouran High" pounded my head a little harder.

Groaning, I sat up to grab my phone. "Talk to me," I said as I leaned back into Takashi's pillow.

"Danni, its Tamaki. I need you to come over here right away! It's an emergency!" …Tamaki? God, what was he talking about NOW?

"Like that dancing monkey that fell and sprained his tail? Or the potato chip that looked like Tokyo Tower?" I was tired and his voice was seriously hurting my head.

"This is no time to bring up past mistakes. It's absolutely imperative I speak with you… NOW!" he shouted through the phone. "I'm sending a limo to Mori-sempei's house. Pick it up there and come quickly!"

I rolled my eyes as I dragged the ice pack off my head. "Keep your limo. I'll be there in 10." Hanging up the phone, I staggered to Takashi in the next room and told him why I had to leave and where I was going. He offered to go with me, and who could turn down those deep blue eyes looking all sweet?

In about 9 minutes, we slid down Tamaki's roof onto his bedroom balcony. I rapped on French doors with light fingertips. They were almost ripped off the hinges in his haste to get them open.

"How did you get here so fast?" he shrieked shrilly. "The limo driver called and said he just got there!"

"We're just that good," Takashi said.

Tamaki looked at him and then shrugged. "Oh well, I suppose it can't be helped. You don't have those shady twins with you, do you?"

"No, should we?" I taunted him evilly.

He shuddered, and shook his head. "Come inside so I can tell you in secret…" He slid into the shadows.

"Creepy…" I muttered.

"Yeah; I'll go first," Takashi stepped forward… and got clubbed. I looked down at him, then back at Tamaki.

"Now we can be alone… MUWAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!" He looked so creepy right at that moment…Kind of Nekozawa-ish… "OK, I'm going to tell you. But try to guess! I'll bet you can't figure it out, but go ahead!" I looked at him.

His eyes were sparkling and shinning like purple stars in the shadowed room. He had a glow that made him look so full of youth and vigor. And I mean more so than usual. He'd even lost weight, as skinny as he already is. Seriously, I didn't think it was possible for him to be any more anorexic then he already is but this was ridiculous.

I took in and processed all this information and more in the time it took to blink. I knew the 'secret' before his words ceased to echo. "You're in love with someone we both know who runs the Club with surgical precision. Am I right?" I bent down and carefully measured Takashi's pulse. "Hang in there, Takashi…" I whispered to him as I ran my fingers through his dark thick hair.

"… EW! I'm not in love with _Renge_! That's just sick and perverted!" Tamaki shuddered again, even as his words echoed in my mind.

I rubbed my head while I winced at his passionate screech. "I wasn't talking about Renge," I said. Tamaki colored before the name completely left my lips. "I was referring," I said slowly as I felt my ears stop ringing, "to Kyoya Otori."

Falling to his knees, Tamaki looked completely and utterly defeated. Truly like a 'lonely prince'. He took on that calm, speak-from-your-heart voice as he spoke his next words.

"I don't know how long I've loved him. I suppose, I've always loved him. Kyoya always had a way of making me smile; and I had the same affect on him. I know he's often manipulative and finding ways to get ahead, but he's not always like that. He's kind of charming in his own way.

"To be honest, Kyoya only started loosening up when he met me. Before that, he was very serious and withdrawn. He told me once that after I came, he had a reason to not be so put-out. Sometimes I believe Kyoya loves me as much as I love him, but then something happens that changes my thoughts. Kyoya may act like he's not afraid, but actually he's more frightened then any of us."

I had never seen this side of Kyoya Otori before. As I left with a still woozy Takashi, I decided right then and there to get those two together. I needed some serious evidence. I knew Kyoya liked Tamaki… a lot. I just needed to know how much…

I was rather angry at the moment. Kyoya was not doing what I told him to do. I told him to talk to Tamaki and clear the air of all the secrets. Painfully, I found I was going to have to go talk to him… _again_.

I hated seeing him, though. He always screamed like a girl…like an incredibly high pitched five year old girl with a paper cut…and I couldn't handle that for longer than a few seconds. That particular frequency is too high; and Kyoya screams way too long for my tender little ears to handle. Takashi knows this (so he keeps his more high-strung relatives away from me when I come to visit and/or spend the night).

Anyways, I decided to go at night like I normally do. But then something changed my mind and I went during the afternoon. Fine, Kaoru begged me to show up and talk to Ash for him before he came in. I didn't want to do it, but Kaoru was on his KNEES begging me. Don't ask me why I did the following, because I don't know. I… implied… that I could be… persuaded… to go for him if he offered adequate compensation for my precious time. Needless to say, I'm turning into Kyoya… and I like it.

I didn't want to change too much of my routine, so I still came in like a ninja. And, like before, he screamed like a chick from a horror movie. "JESUS CHRIST, KYOYA! WILL YOU STOP DOING THAT?" Yeah, I yelled at him. He was hurting my ears, what was I supposed to do?

"You need to stop appearing out of nowhere, Danni! I can't take anymore of your insane comings and goings!" Was _Kyoya_ yelling at _me_? That wasn't going to fly.

"Who do you think you're talking to with that attitude, mister? You might be big and bad in Tamaki's eyes, but in MY eyes you got a serious problem!"

Kyoya shut up while I told him part of what happened at Tamaki's house. I didn't say anything embarrassing. But I did tell him about how much Tamaki cares for him and how he has to do something about it.

When I left him, I spoke to Ash. I told her what happened and I also warned her about a surprise visitor coming later on that day. What? He didn't pay to keep my mouth shut. And besides: Kaoru doesn't have what it takes to be underhanded and sneaky. You want that, you ask Kyoya or me (oh… that doesn't sound good).

(Ash's POV)

Unlike Danni, I was direct in my approach: "Kyoya?"

"Ash…" He didn't look up from his Demon's Book.

"You OK? I heard someone screaming…"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Danni told me she dropped in on you…" I said. Then I added. "…again. You know, she really hates it when people scream."

"Then she should be nicer," Kyoya looked at me over his glasses sternly. "… and not drop in on people unexpectedly."

"Eh," I shrugged. "You sort of get used to it after awhile," I looked at him. "You want to talk about it?"

"Talk about _what_?"

"Oh, please," I rolled my eyes. "You know what _about_."

"I can't do it," He said. He sat heavily on his bed. Dropping his Demon's Book on the floor at his feet, he buried his face in his hands. "I- I can't tell him,"

Okay, so this may _not_ be the dreaded Shadow King that everyone knows and loves, but this _was_ the Kyoya I saw almost every day after school.

"Yes, you can." I told him. "Why do you think otherwise?"

"Because," Kyoya rubbed his head, slowly messing up his thick black hair. "It's obvious that he's in love with Haruhi."

"Oh, yee of little faith…" I said, shaking my head sadly. "He loves _YOU,_ Kyoya. You're his best friend, his first friend! Serious relationships are based on trust, and trust me: you've totally got that in your favor."

"… Really?" He looked up with dark eyes shining.

"Oh, yeah," I nodded my head vigorously. "He definitely trusts you."

"But, does he _love_ me?" Kyoya looked rather frightened as he asked.

I munched on some candies from my purse as I paced slowly around his room. "Why don't you just ask him?" I asked, casually looking at him out of the corner of my eye.

A maid walked in before he could say anything. "Miss McArthur?"

I looked up. "Yes?" I wondered why the maid looked so upset at seeing me in Kyoya's room. I soon got my answer.

"There's a rather persistent young man here to see you."

Yeah, that explains it. "Thanks, I'll be right down. He's a redhead, isn't he?" The maid looked at me in despair as she walked away.

"Guess I should see if I can go and turn Kaoru _off_."

"You OK? Or do you need me to wait and strangle Kaoru?" I asked him…

"I'll live…However; I would keep from killing him. After all, we can't…" I cut him off there.

"… Do the 'Brotherly Love' package without him and that would cause sales to go boom. I know…" I waved my hand as I started out the door to my doom.

"I was going to say 'risk a law suit from his mother'. But yes, that _is_ true." Kyoya winked as I walked away. I went down to see what form of torture fate was subjecting me to tonight.

When Kaoru asked me to join him for dinner at his mansion I figured it had to be better than sitting around in my P.J.'s pretending to listen while Kyoya went over the Host Club's Budget…or watching muted horror movies with English subtitles while Kyoya stuttered like a complete and total idiot to a Tamaki Practice Dummy…

I had never, still have never, nor will I most likely ever be so wrong in my life.

"So, you're 'Ash'?" Mr. Hitachiin asked, smiling. Yes, Kaoru had left out a few teeny tiny details when he first invited me over…like the fact that his parents would be there…and the whole 'they think I'm his girlfriend' thing.

"Yes," God, he was looking me up and down, and he was _not_ hiding it.

"You seem to have made quite the impression on my sons," He looked very stern. I stared right back. (Danni just taught me the art of counter intimidation.)

"Well, it's not as hard as you might think to impress them," It was true; the twins were impressed by anything outside of wealthy society. Hence, their interest in me: I was well outside.

"Apparently, Kaoru calls you his 'Muse', you know," Mrs. Hitachiin smiled in approval as she walked over to stand next to her husband.

"Really…" I couldn't have been less surprised. After all, even though Kaoru's sneaky, he's not Danni. If I can catch Danni, I could catch Kaoru.

"Who are you staying with while you're in Japan?" I didn't want to answer.

"I'm staying with Kyoya Otori… for now." I did it anyway. "That is, unless Danni keeps bothering the poor guy. He seriously needs an alarm on his window." By now, I was thinking out loud. The twins walked in and slouched on the couch on either side of me.

"She Danni'd Kyoya?" Kaoru chuckled.

"Yeah! You should have heard him scream when she came out of nowhere! I heard that she commented on his muscle tone, as well," I looked at Hikaru and winked meaningfully behind my hair.

"See, Hika? It's not just you!" Kaoru said slyly. Hikaru colored at this.

"You should have seen what she did to Flash's cousin, Jesse! The poor guy fainted right as… Uhh, never mind." Oh, my God! Did I almost let it slip about my relationship with Jesse Callahan? Yes! Yes, I did!

God, Kyoya's practice rounds were sure are sounding good about now! "Danni, Flash and I are working on a project right now. We can't talk about it, but when you see the results, you're going to die laughing!"

"So you're well taken care of?" Mr. Hitachiin finally got a word in.

"Yes, of course." I was afraid of what he was going to say next.

Thankfully, Yuzuha beat him to the punch. "I just love your outfit. Did you design it yourself?" God…I almost wished that Mr. Hitachiin had got to say what he wanted.

"Yeah, I was trying-" I stopped. "Never mind what I was trying to do…" Best let sleeping dogs lay and what-not and the like...

"Oh, dear never mind what happened in the past! What were you trying?" Mrs. Hitachiin just wasn't going to let this go.

"It's stupid," I was trying to dissuade her from pursuing the matter (that was a total Danni-style line, right there. I'm turning into her, talking like that).

"Come now, tell us what you were trying," She gave me the shivers.

Kaoru nudged me softly. "Why don't you tell us? I'm curious, myself,"

"See? Even the twins want to know what The Muse has come up with! It's not fair to keep things hidden away, is it Darling?"

"No, no it's not my Sweet." What a pushy family! Thank God there wasn't a little sister running around! But their prodding was getting to me. I caved.

"Look, Kaoru," I turned to him and looked him in his golden cat eyes. "I know Jody's gay, but he once told me when I wore something along these lines it was enough to make him consider playing for the other team. So, I designed an entire line of short skirts and low-cut tops in the hope of making him… ya know, switch teams," Everyone looked at me silently. Damn them. "At least, that's how the look started out for. But, after awhile, it just stuck."

"Well, thank you for coming Ash! And on such short notice, too! My mom looks tired, so I'll see you at school later. Bye!" Kaoru knew those two things had absolutely nothing in common, but he was trying to hustle me out quick. I wasn't trying to stop him.

"I completely understand. I'll see you guys later!" I waved as Kaoru pushed me towards the door. Hikaru didn't help… he was smirking as Kaoru did major damage control.

At the door, Mr. Hitachiin caught me. "If you ever need a place to stay, feel free to come on by," He winked, and then looked meaningfully at his youngest son. "Drop by if you ever need anything. Really, anything for my boys' 'Muse'."

"Thanks, Mr. Hitachiin." He left, and Kaoru nearly collapsed. I'm pretty sure that he did when I leaned close and whispered, "Thank you for helping me, Kaoru. I owe you one…"and I let my fingers linger on his chest just a second longer than I normally would have.

I know it was mean… but it was also insanely funny. I laughed wildly when I got back to my room at Kyoya's mansion. Man, I really _am_ turning into Danni…

Just seconds later Kyoya walked in… "Bad night? The maids told me you were back already." I wondered what his night had entailed momentarily…

"Kyoya… Could you do me a favor?"

"Yes, Ash?"

"If I ever so much as _consider_ going to a dinner at the Hitachiin Mansion again remind me to make sure the twins parents won't be there."

"That depends…What I would gain from doing so…" Ah, that answered the questions I had about his night… the light glinted dangerously off of those glasses and I wondered just how human Kyoya really was... something that only happened when he was trying to keep to the host club's budget and still get Tamaki 75% of everything he wanted for the club.


	7. Part 2 Chapter 1

**A/N: Sorry it's taken forever but this was originally going to be a sequel...**

Part Two: Chapter One **A week into summer break**

(Ash's POV)

We walked into the private terminal for private jets at Japan International Airport. Danni, in her (Hitachiin Approved) Cargo pants and her black (also twin approved) spaghetti strap top with big loopy cursive lettering that read 'Ouran Host Club: Maybe you're my Love', was on my right and was flanked on both sides by Mori and Hunni. On my left was Jody, who was being flanked by Tamaki and an uncharacteristically happy Kyoya (mostly because his competition was being removed from both the picture and the country…and he didn't have to have him deported! Behind me were the twins and a walking mountain of luggage that was supposedly Haruhi. She had somehow been stuck with our numerous suit cases, despite my attempts at carrying my own stuff.

When we finally reached the gate for the Otori Family's jets (yes…as in plural), the staff relieved poor Haruhi of our literally dozens of bags…Several of which had not been with us when we had flown here Coach on an Air-Japan flight… that were packed with expensive gifts from the Ouran Host Club. The twins gave me countless outfits that I had little to no use for and were made from fabrics that were so rare and valuable that I was actually a little scared to actually wear them. The only reason I excepted the gifts was because I didn't want to offend rich people who most likely owned any company that may someday wish to hire me.

Now it was time to say goodbye…which was sadly amongst the few things I was actually uncomfortable to say. In my experience, the words Good-bye were not to be taken lightly. I never actually said them to anyone I want to see again, because in my own opinion, goodbye was what you said when you were talking to someone you would never see again. Danni and Jody didn't even know I thought this. That's why, if someone leaves, I say 'see you later' instead of goodbye, or if I'm talking on the phone I just hang up. This moment had me at a loss for that reason. This isn't a phone call could hang up from, this wasn't a 'see you later' situation…but at the same time I knew I wanted to see these people again. Really though...what chance did I have of seeing them again…Kyoya, Kaoru, Hikaru, Tamaki, Mori, Hunni, Haruhi, Nekozawa, the customers…There was still a tiny chance that I could eventually see them all again…right?

Kyoya must have been just as uncomfortable with this whole thing as I was. I say that because he did this lame little hand wave thingy and said "Good luck. I wish you well." I watched as stuffy business man Kyoya took over the teenaged American pervert in disguise that I had learned to love over the past year.

"Nuh-uh…nope…not working for me." I said.

"I beg your pardon?" You mean other than me wanting to tear you a new asshole?

"In America we hug when we say goodbye to friends." As I wrapped my arms around Kyoya in a Friendly-not-flirty, I'll-always-remember-you way…not that he'd ever admit it, but it took some convincing before either of us was ready to let go.

"Good-bye." He said as we finally broke our contact. It didn't hit home until that moment just how much I wanted to stay…or how permanent our leaving might actually be. I had told myself I wouldn't cry, and I didn't, but behind his glasses Kyoya's eyes were slightly more moist than normal. The annoying perverted Japanese millionaire teen had become like a brother to me, I just wished that I could have realized it sooner.

"Bye." I barely managed to choke out. Then I glanced at Tamaki the Baka King and whispered in Kyoya's ear. "You better make a move before all the good ones are taken." He blushed lightly and nodded as I moved on to the King Baka himself.

"Tamaki." I said, hugging him tightly. "Wonderful, strange, eccentric Tamaki…take care of yourself sempei."

"Yes of course!" he said like a true Lonely Prince, "and you as well my darling little daughter."

"You do realize that we're not really related…Right?"

"Yes, but it's more fun this way!"

"Ah…" I said, as if it actually made a whole lot of sense. It didn't though…Tamaki never had, and probably never would. Suddenly I turned to Haruhi and said "You'll keep everyone out of trouble for me…right?"

"I'll do my best!" she said with a soft laugh, as four soft muscular arms embraced me from behind.

"Boys, boys, boys." I said, laughing for the sole purpose of keeping the tears from falling down. "I'm not sure that my life—or sanity—will never be the same without you…then again…that might not be a bad thing."

"Good-bye Ash." _Hikaru._ I thought as I felt a pair of arms slip away.

"I'll miss you." _Kaoru. _And the second set of arms was gone.

I tried to catch him, "Kaoru…I…" but he was already standing clear across the gate with his brother. Hunni and Mori said their good-byes quickly, and Jesse pulled me into his arms.

"What will I do without you?" It was whispered…as if he were afraid to actually say anything.

"Rest peacefully knowing that Danni can't kill you in your sleep?" I offered…I didn't want to cry…making jokes made it easier to avoid the waterworks. "At least I don't think she'll be able to…" Smiling, Jesse kissed me…it wasn't one of those passionate I love you type kisses, it was more of a so this is it kiss. It just made it that much harder not to cry. "You guys ready?" I asked as Danni and Jody finished their good-byes (have I mentioned yet how much I truly despise that word?).

"I guess," my two best friends said simultaneously.

We started to walk away, but Kaoru shrieked suddenly. "Wait! Don't leave…Please. I'll miss you too much!"

We turned around, "Listen." I told him, my hands grasping his shoulders. "We don't want to leave any more than you want us to… but our time here is over. For us…this has been like a dream…surreal yah-know? But it's time for us to wake up and smell the grass clippings…we don't belong in your world…the nice clothes and fancy parties…we're not meant for that stuff. It was nice to know you…know all of you…but we can't stay here forever…we don't belong here, we'd just get in the way of you reaching your full potentials." I paused…trying to find the right way to wrap things up. "Besides, any one of you can afford to fly out and visit us whenever you feel like it." I began to walk away…turning over my shoulder I added, "And Kaoru…I'm really sorry." I don't know what I was apologizing for…for leaving? For coming in the first place? For dating Jesse? For loving him? For wanting them both? For all of it combined? I'm still not sure.

We walked towards the loading ramp when suddenly…the Private Otori Family Jet that was supposed to take us back to our lives in middle class America…Exploded…Blew Up…Spontaneously Combusted right before our very eyes.

"So I'm going to go out on a limb and guess this means you'll be enrolling back at Ouran next year." The voice belonged to Kyoya Otori, I noticed right as my eyes rolled into the back of my head and the world went black…the last thing I though being 'were our bags on the plane yet?' then there was complete and utter nothingness.

(Kaoru's POV)

Someone once said that 'all is fair in love and war'. This was both…at least that's what I told myself as the private jet exploded.

Kyoya walked over to me. "You had something to do with this…didn't you." It was hardly a question at all.

"Well…"

_******FLASHBACKS******_

**~*~Theater of Kaoru's Mind~*~**

"Hello? Yes, this is Kaoru Hitachiin. I'm a friend of the Otori Family. I need you to blow up a plane…" Stroking a mustache. "YES I KNOW IT'S AN OTORI JET!Just do it! I'm paying you good money…And remember…that money will be substantially less if their bags are on the plane when it goes…understand? Why? BECAUSE THOSE BAGS WILL HAVE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF GOING AWAY PRESENTS THAT WILL NEED REPLACING IF THEY GET BLOWN UP, THAT'S WHY!"

Suddenly Danni showed up. "You weren't wearing a Hitler mustache… For Real?"

"No! It's fake…See?" I ripped it off…and shrieked shrilly. Rubbing my now peach Fuzz less upper lip as I glared at Danni as I realized something… "Wait a minute! This is MY flashback…What are you doing here…you weren't even there!"

"That you know of…" She echoed as her body faded into the shadows.

_******END FLASHBACK******_

"ah." Said Kyoya…"and I assume you will be paying for the damages to my families Jet…Am I correct?"

"Yeah, Sure…" I said as I thought to myself _'anything for one more chance…anything for Ash.'_

(Jody's POV)

Jesse looked at me…Poor dude. My cousin seemed to be at a loss, but heck if I knew how to help his passed out girlfriend wake up. It's not like this happened to Ash very often. She and I were pretty much immune to the weird shit that makes normal people just faint into oblivion…that kind of came with the territory of being Danni's friend.

Ash had known Danni since they were too little to really remember anything…and I've heard that Danni was Danni-ing people for at least that long. So you would think that having a jet blow up just before you get on it wouldn't be as bad as having a best friend who has to be some sort of ninja ghost assassin thingy…Right? I mean a plane exploding is plausible…you know…people can imagine a plane exploding. On the Other hand, we have Danni…and unless you are a serial murderer or a stalker the image of Danni showing up out of thin air is pretty unlikely to be popping into your head.

Anyway… Kaoru rushed towards Ash's unconscious form screaming bloody murder at my cousin… This was something that happened on a daily basis. This time however, with Ash being too busy being unconscious to break them apart, Kaoru actually had a valid point…and for the first time in any matter involving Ash...Hikaru was actually agreeing with him.

"Are you completely USELESS!" screamed Kaoru. "Go to the bathroom and get a wet paper towel, cold water! Mori…carry her to that couch!" we pretty much just did whatever Kaoru told us to at that point. Danni had a satisfied grin on her face as she and Mori kept "accidentally" bumping into each other as they worked. It was one of those grins that made you wonder just what kind of evil she had brewing in her head.

(Ash's POV)

"Wake up…" I heard some distantly hazy Japanese voice say…Wait! I'm supposed to be on a Private Jet heading to the US. Wait! The Jet EXPLODED! Wait! All my expensive clothes got blown up! Wait! That is not Jesse's Voice! My head was doing some serious spinning…and all I really wanted was to be safely on my way back to my safe home where I would safely enroll into a nice safe commoner's high school…filled to the brim with nice safe non-millionaire commoners like me. No clubs full of Multi-millionaire High school Gods and spontaneously combusting airplanes…thank you very much.

There was that voice again…It kind of sounded like… "K-Kaoru?"

"Yes, Ash, it's me…" Weakly, I looked around. Everyone, save Kyoya, was crowded around looking worried. I grabbed Kaoru's arm tightly…

"Are my clothes alright? Tell me their alright!" I said, ignoring Jody and Danni as they rolled their eyes and smiled at each other.

"I-I'm not sure." He said.

Kyoya came over to us, snapping his cell phone shut. "If you need somewhere to stay, you always know…" he let the invitation hang. His way of saying he couldn't care less what we decided…let alone myself in particular…but the glint in his glasses told me a different story…he'd been worried…I'd have to confront him about it later.

Looking at Jody and Danni, I instantly knew that they wanted to stay. I smiled at Kyoya. "Thanks…" and I really meant it.

"I need a place to stay…" said Danni…She sounded sickeningly sweet…something was up…

Mori looked at her with an almost nonexistent laughter in his eyes…and a shadow of a smile dancing on his lips, "No you don't, and you know it. You can always stay with me or Mitsukuni."

"Yeah, Dan-chan," Hunni added, "you're always welcome at me and Takashi's places."

The rest of us just stared on in amazement…even Kyoya was visible distraught by what had taken place. Mori had said more than one syllable, Danni was looking genuinely shy (I had seen her fake shy hundreds of times at that was not it), and Hunni wasn't in a bloody heap of corpse for calling Danni 'Dan-chan'. All in all, it was in fact a once in a life time thing, and everyone was either taking mental photos to commemorate this moment (Jody, Jesse, and Haruhi) or they were trying to figure out whether or not they either died in the explosion or are having some sort of head injury they don't remember getting (Kyoya, Kaoru, and Hikaru)...and then there was me who was doing a little bit of both.

Kyoya's phone rang. He answered it with a, "uh-huh? Uh-huh. Thank you…I'll let them know," and hung up.

"Well?" Tamaki pressed.

Leveling the "king" with a cool stare, Kyoya said, "That was our staff. Apparently, none of your belongings were on the plane yet. I'll have them sent to your current residences. So, Ash, your 13 suitcases will be sent back to your room at the Otori Estate. Flash, your things are being sent back to your cousin's apartment, and Danni, since you are a free and roaming spirit…" he looked her up and down then glanced at Mori, " I'm sending your belongings to the Morinozuka Family Dojo. You don't mind that right?" I had a bad feeling that he was making up for all the times she had pestered him about his love life over the past year in that one statement.

Danni muttered something I couldn't hear since I was still really freaked by the spontaneously combusting plane thing, and Kyoya pushed his glasses up to hide his blush. This gave me this satisfactory feeling that she had discretely called him out on my own suspicions. Eventually, Mori, after having whispered with Danni in a corner for close to thirty minutes, suggested we all go out to lunch.

As I slumped in the limo, Haruhi smiled at me, "are you okay, Ash?" her soft brown eyes boring into my soul, disarming me with a calm and collected smile.

I lied unconvincingly, "Yeah, I'm fine. How about you, Haruhi? It must be frustrating to learn that you carried all those bags into the airport for no reason."

"You're not fine." I looked at her with my teal eyes wide in shock. I know that I wasn't all that convincing, but was she so clueless that she didn't know when to drop the topic. "It's written clear across your face. You're angry, confused, upset, and a little sad too."

"I just wanted to sleep in my own stupid bed!" I started crying…which I hadn't done properly since first time I met the twins' mother (Not that she had anything to do with why I was crying that time mind you it was purely a coincidence). "I'm so sick you stupid rich people and your stupid money! And your stupid parents paying for every stupid thing you want to do and buying every little thing you want to have! You're all so blind to the fact that every time you open your rich little mouths I feel like a complete moron…because if I ask you how we're going to get somewhere you say 'that's what the chauffeur is for' or 'the limo' as if I should know because I'm some rich little Japanese girl and go to Ouran with daddy's money like the rest of them. NEWS FLASH! I'm a middle class American! I DON'T HAVE JACK SQUAT! All I really want right now is to be safely on my way back to my safe home where I would be safely enrolled into a nice safe commoner's high school…filled to the brim with nice safe non-millionaire commoners like me. All I want is some peace and quiet for once, without it being ruined by Jesse and Kaoru fighting over me."

I just sat there, letting the tears fall, and letting everyone stare at me in shock as Kyoya pulled me close to him and whispered soothingly, "I might have a surprise that will cheer you up, Hinadori-chan…"

I pulled back a little, without breaking out embrace, as I wiped my eyes with one of Jody's handkerchiefs…I mean, really, why the dude couldn't use disposable Keenex brand tissues like the rest of modern society was beyond my knowledge… I asked softly, "Wh-what kind of surprise?" I was trying to avoid traumatizing the others any further, and the stuttering could be blamed on Kyoya calling me by that ever so embarrassing pet name…Baby-bird.

"A trip," Kyoya announced, "For the whole club (Jesse that includes you) to the Otori Family Private Beach this summer. What do you say?"

I sat there, until I had a horrid thought… "It won't spontaneously combust… will it?" I asked timidly. They all just sat their laughing at me, Jody, Danni, and Jesse laughing the hardest out of everyone. Jerks.

After lunch we went straight to the Otori Beach house, which was reached with little to no problems…unless you count the twins bugging Tamaki (they poked him the entire ride up), and since I can't think of any who does count the twins bugging Tamaki…I think we're good. When we got there I went straight to my room, one of my thirteen suitcases dragging behind me. I dropped in hap-hazard on the bed, I dug through and grabbed a (surprise-surprise) Hitachiin design bathing suit and began to change. With my skinny jeans around my ankles, I heard the door creaking open.

"Oh, sorry!" It was Kyoya…Who had returned to his teenaged-American-pervert-in-Disguise self after banishing the 80 year old business man Kyoya half way between the airport and the beach house.

"Chillax Kyoya-nii-san!" I said in a very Jody-esque manner. Kyoya laughed.

"You're going Jody on me…lovely…as if one wasn't bad enough." He teased.

"Shut up!" I said, tossing a pillow at him lovingly. "And what is so bad about Jody anyway?" Not that I didn't have a few ideas…

I wondered momentarily if I should tell him that Jody was only hitting on Tamaki to make Kyoya jealous enough to confess… I decided that I should just tell him after he finally got around to confessing and he and Tamaki could be mad at us together, because at that point, it wouldn't really matter what they thought of us. Instead, I simply rolled my eyes at Kyoya as he looked me up and down.

"The twins have a swimsuit for you to wear…"

"tell the twins to take the swimsuit and shove it up their collective…actually no, don't, just tell them that I am already in a Hitachiin Swimsuit design."

"If you insist."

"Oh, I insist." I insisted he keep those annoyingly sexy twins away from me…

"I found the answer to my Question…" he added nonchalantly.

"Oh?" I replied.

"The one about you dropping you skinny jeans."

"Really? And what's the answer?" I asked. Secretly I was afraid of his answer.

"Yes…you drop them before the guy gets the chance to ask…" He stepped out of the way of yet another pillow hurdling at his head.

"Teenaged American Pervert in Disguise!" I said in a sing song tone.

"You would know!" he replied equally as sing-song… "I'm sure you've had your share!"


End file.
